THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CAMBRIDGE 
IN    THE   EIGHTEENTH    CENTURY 


CAMBRIDGE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 

C.  F.  CLAY,  Manager 

LONDON   :   FETTER  LANE,   E.C.  4 

NEW    YORK     :    THE    MACMILT.AN    CO. 

BOMBAY      ■) 

CALCUTTA  [.  MACiMILLAN  AND  CO.,  Ltd. 

MADRAS      J 

TORONTO    :    THE   MACMILLAN   CO.    OF 

CANADA,  Ltd. 
TOKYO  :  MARUZEN-KABUSHIKI-KAISHA 

AI.L  RIGHTS   RKSERVEI) 


PLATE  I 


THOMAS   I'KLHAM-IlOLLI.s 

v\  RSI'  i)L  k  !■;  OF  \  i:\vcAs-ri.r; 


The  University  of  Cambridge 
in   the   Eighteenth  Century 

BY 

D.  A.  WINSTANLEY,  M.A. 

FELLOW  OF  TRINITY  COLLEGE 


CAMBRIDGE 

AT  THE  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 
1922 


printi:d  in  great  Britain 


L  r  SAiMA  liiiliiJARA 

I   IS 

PREFACE 

IT  is  sometimes  assumed  that  the  University  of 
Cambridge  in  the  eighteenth  century  led  an  iso- 
lated existence,  remote  from  the  stream  of  the  national 
life;  and  that  its  numerous  deficiencies  were  due  to  its 
immunity  from  external  interference  and  its  freedom 
to  wallow  in  its  sin.  This  generalisation  is  however 
more  sweeping  than  accurate;  and  is  certainly  quite 
untrue  of  that  part  of  the  century  when  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle  was  Chancellor  of  the  university.  The 
following  narrative,  which  can  be  briefly  described  as 
an  account  of  Newcastle's  activities  as  Chancellor,  at- 
tempts to  show  that,  at  least  as  long  as  the  Duke  was 
a  power  in  Cambridge,  the  connection  between  the 
academic  and  political  worlds,  instead  of  being  non- 
existent, was  in  reality  much  too  close  and  intimate  to 
be  salutary,  and  that  the  university  was  very  far  from 
being  left  to  itself.  The  abuses  were  many,  but  they 
were  not  exclusively  of  home  manufacture,  and  the 
politicians  must  shoulder  their  portion  of  the  blame. 

Use  has  been  made  of  the  Newcastle,  Hardwicke, 
and  Cole  manuscripts  in  the  British  Museum;  and  in 
defence  of  the  rather  numerous  extracts  from  these 
papers,  it  can  be  pleaded  that  events  are  generally  most 
vividly  described  by  those  who  have  taken  part  in  them. 
It  is  obvious  that  such  a  method  does  not  make  for 
brevity,  but  possibly  the  loss  of  conciseness  may  be 
compensated  for  by  increase  of  interest. 

I  am  glad  to  have  this  opportunity  of  expressing  my 
great  gratitude  to  my  friends.  Sir  Geoffrey  Butler, 
Fellow  of  Corpus  Christi  College,  and  Mr  A.  F.  Schol- 
field.  Librarian  of  Trinity  College,  for  very  much 
needed  assistance  most  generously  given;  and  for  the 


vi  PREFACE 

sake  of  the  few  who  may  have  read  an  appendix  to  an 
earlier  work  I  should  mention  that  a  more  careful  and 
complete  study  of  the  manuscript  authorities  has  shown 
me  that  my  previous  account  of  the  contest  between 
Lord  Hardwicke  and  Lord  Sandwich  for  the  High 
Stewardship  of  the  university  was  unfortunately  not 
free  from  serious  inaccuracies.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
the  description  given  in  the  following  pages  of  that 
fierce  struggle  more  closely  approximates  to  the  truth. 


D.  A.  W. 


Cambridge, 

September  1922 


CONTENTS 

CHAP.  PAGE 

I.  INTRODUCTION  ....  i 

II.  THE     UNIVERSITY    AND     POLI- 

TICIANS         34 

III.  THE     CHANCELLOR     AND     THE 

UNIVERSITY 145 

IV.  THE     CHANCELLOR     AND    THE 

COLLEGES 231 

INDEX 331 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PLATE 

I.  THOMAS  PELHAM-HOLLES       .         frontispiece 

FIRST  DUKE  OF  NEWCASTLE 

From  the  portrait  in  the  hall  of  Clare  College,  by  permission  of 
the  Master  and  Fellows 

II.  JOHN  MONTAGU to  face  56 

FOURTH  EARL  OF  SANDWICH 

From  the  portrait  by  ZofFany  in  the  National  Portrait  Gallery 

III.  PHILIP  YONGE 148 

MASTER  OF  JESUS  CO  L  LEGE,  C  AMBRI  DG£  (1752-58) 
BISHOP  OF  BRISTOL   (1758-61) 
BISHOP  OF  NORWICH    (1761-83) 

IV.  LYNFORD  CARYL 232 

MASTER  OF  JESUS  COLLEGE,  CAMBRIDGE  (1758-81) 

Plates  III  and  IV  are  from  portraits  in  Jesus  College  Lodge,  by 
permission  of  the  Master 


M 


CHAPTER  I 
INTRODUCTION 

UCH  has  been  written  about  the  university  of 
Cambridge  in  the  eighteenth  century,  and  it 
would  be  idle  to  attempt  to  do  again  what  already  has 
been  done  so  well.  The  stormy  years  of  Bentley's 
Mastership  of  Trinity  are  admirably  and  fully  described 
in  Monk's  biography  of  that  turbulent  scholar^,  and 
Henry  Gunning,  in  his  Reminiscences  of  the  University^ 
Town  and  County  of  Cambridge^  has  given  a  vivid  and 
entertaining  account  of  university  ways  and  manners  at 
the  close  of  the  century.  But  Bentley  died  in  1742  and 
Gunning  did  not  begm  his  undergraduate  career  until 
1784;  and  between  these  two  dates  lies  an  unexplored 
tract  of  university  history.  It  cannot  be  pretended  that 
this  middle  period  claims  attention  as  being  peculiarly 
rich  in  great  scholars  and  striking  characters;  but  the 
history  of  an  university,  like  the  history  of  a  nation,  is 
not  exclusively  a  record  of  the  achievements  of  great 
men.  Mediocrities  play  their  part  in  building  up  the 
whole;  and  it  may  at  least  be  said  of  Cambridge  during 
the  middle  years  of  the  eighteenth  century  that,  though 
not  prolific  of  great  scholars,  it  was  peculiarly  rich  in 
university  politicians.  From  1748  until  1768  it  had  as 
its  Chancellor  that  very  typical  eighteenth  century 
politician,  Thomas  Pelham-Holles,  Duke  of  Newcastle; 
and  any  society  over  which  Newcastle  presided  was  not 
likely  to  lack  opportunities  of  exercising  its  talents  in 
the  direction  of  intrigue  and  wire-pulling.  It  is  now  the 

^  Life   of  Richard  Bentley,    by   James    Henry    Monk,    Bishop    of 
Gloucester  (1830). 


2  INTRODUCTION 

fashion  to  deride  those  who  spend  their  time  and  energy 
upon  the  ephemeral  controversies  which  rage  in  an 
university,  and  possibly  they  might  often  be  more  profit- 
ably employed;  but,  while  the  moralist  and  scholar 
condemn,  the  student  of  human  nature  has  cause  to  be 
grateful.  It  is  neither  uninteresting  nor  uninstructive 
to  see  men  imitating  on  a  small  stage  the  warfare  of  the 
great  world  and  striving  to  attain  their  petty  ambitions 
with  as  much  fury  and  as  little  scruple  as  if  contending 
for  empires;  and  the  Cambridge  combatants  in  the 
eighteenth  century,  though  frequently  contending  for 
nothing  greater  than  the  satisfaction  of  their  own 
ambitions,  certainly  carried  on  their  struggles  with  an 
ingenuity  and  resource  deserving  of  a  better  cause.  But 
the  period  of  university  history  under  consideration 
does  not  present  an  unrelieved  picture  of  sordid 
struggles  for  ignoble  spoils.  The  lamp  of  learning  was 
not  burning  with  startling  brightness  but  it  was  still 
burning;  jobbery  was  rampant  but  honest  merit  came 
sometimes  to  its  own;  scandals  were  unpleasantly  fre- 
quent but  probably  not  as  frequent  as  is  popularly 
supposed.  We  indeed  have  often  occasion  to  blush  for 
our  predecessors;  but  we  possibly  have  been  readier  to 
blush  than  to  enquire. 

And  enquiry  is  the  more  necessary  as  we  are  separated 
by  a  wide  gulf  from  eighteenth  century  Cambridge. 
Much  has  changed  in  the  university  during  the  last 
two  centuries;  but  in  no  respect  has  the  change  been 
greater  than  in  the  habits  and  outlook  of  its  senior 
members.  A  present-day  Fellow  of  a  college  is  not  very 
different  in  type  from  the  ordinary  professional  man. 
His  university  career  is  a  part  and  a  very  important 
part  of  his  life,  but  it  is  not  the  whole.  His  interests 
are  many  and  by  no  means  exclusively  academic. 
Almost  as  much  at  home  in  London  as  he  is  in  Cam- 
bridge, he  has  friends  and  acquaintances  in  many  paths 


INTRODUCTION  3 

of  life,  does  not  garnish  his  conversation  with  Greek 
and  Latin  quotations,  and  plays  his  part  without 
conscious  effort  in  general  society.  He  takes  a  pride  in 
his  freedom  from  eccentricities  and  improves  upon  the 
Pharisee  by  thanking  God  that  he  is  as  other  men.  His 
eighteenth  century  predecessor  had  a  far  more  limited 
outlook  upon  life  and  bore  more  visibly  the  marks  of 
his  calling.  Generally  in  orders  and  often  of  com- 
paratively lowly  origin,  he  was  a  stranger  to  the  ex- 
clusive social  world  of  his  time.  When  he  visited  the 
metropolis  his  manners  and  behaviour  stamped  him  as 
a  provincial,  and  he  commonly  had  no  higher  ambition 
than  to  become  a  tutor  to  the  son  of  an  influential 
nobleman  through  whose  assistance  he  might  secure 
advancement  in  the  church.  If  he  was  singularly  fortu- 
nate he  might  obtain  a  bishopric  which  would  place  him 
on  terms  of  equality  with  the  great,  but  such  good 
fortune  was  reserved  for  the  few,  and  the  average  uni- 
versity 'don'  only  saw  the  polite  world  from  the  point 
of  view  of  the  humble  dependent.  His  social  experience 
was  in  consequence  extremely  limited.  Removed  from 
refining  influences,  and  with  few  opportunities  of 
measuring  his  conduct  by  any  other  standard  than  that 
prevailing  in  the  university,  he  retained  many  of  the 
characteristics  of  the  class  from  which  he  had  sprung. 
Servile  towards  his  superiors  and  overbearing  towards 
those  he  considered  beneath  him,  he  was  frequently 
gross  and  boorish  with  his  friends  and  equals;  but  it 
must  in  fairness  be  remembered  that  the  seclusion, 
which  kept  him  a  boor,  was  productive  of  certain  virtues. 
It  is  likely  that  he  had  a  far  deeper  and  more  enduring 
love  of  his  college  and  university  than  is  at  all  common 
at  the  present  day.  To  his  education  he  was  mainly 
indebted  for  whatever  success  he  had  achieved  in  life, 
and  his  college,  if  not  his  first,  was  at  least  his  greatest 
patron.    It  was  moreover  his  home  in  a  way  which  it 


4  INTRODUCTION 

has  nowadays  ceased  to  be  except  for  the  few,  and  he 
therefore  gave  it  the  affection  which  men  reserve  for 
their  homes.  He  may  often  have  quarrelled  with  his 
colleagues  and  neglected  his  pupils;  but  he  was  seldom 
found  wanting  in  loyalty  to  the  society  to  which  he 
belonged. 

His  virtues,  however,  have  perished  with  him  and  he 
has  come  down  in  history  with  a  sorry  and  tarnished 
reputation.  It  is  popularly  believed  that  he  was  lazy 
and  self-indulgent;  but  there  is  good  reason  to  think 
that  his  failings  have  been  exaggerated.  Though  Cam- 
bridge in  the  eighteenth  century  was  sadly  lacking  in 
eminent  mathematicians^,  it  was  not  wanting  in  great 
classical  scholars;  and  a  century  of  university  history 
which  can  boast  of  Bentley,  Porson,  Dawes  and  Mark- 
land  may  be  accounted  to  have  paid  its  debt  and  more 
than  its  debt  to  classical  scholarship.  It  can  of  course 
be  contended  that  scholars  of  such  merit  were  rare,  that 
they  were  the  exception  rather  than  the  rule,  and  that 
to  derive  from  them  the  standard  of  industry  prevailing 
in  the  university  is  to  argue  from  the  particular  to  the 
general;  but,  inasmuch  as  it  is  the  inevitable  conse- 
quence of  the  progress  of  learning  that  the  greater  part 
of  the  work  of  one  generation  is  superseded  by  the 
next,  and  that  only  a  comparatively  few  students  are 
remembered  for  all  time,  it  is  particularly  necessary  to 
be  cautious  of  assuming  that  idleness  must  have  been 
almost  universal  because  the  proofs  of  industry  are  not 
very  obvious.  It  is  true  that  research  was  not  quite 
so  much  the  order  of  the  day  as  it  is  at  present;  but  the 
claims  of  learning  and  scholarship  were  certainly  not 
completely  disregarded.  No  one  now  troubles  to  in- 
vestigate the  high  dusty  shelves  of  college  libraries  on 
which    repose    the    volumes    on    philosophy,    divinity, 

^  As  Sir  Isaac  Newton  died  in  1727  he  can  hardly  be  claimed  as 
an  eighteenth  century  mathematician. 


INTRODUCTION  5 

mathematics  and  the  classics,  which,  though  now  com- 
pletely out  of  date,  were  greeted  in  their  day  as  valuable 
contributions  to  learning.  Dr  Smith,  Master  of  Trinity, 
is  now  chiefly  remembered  as  the  founder  of  the  mathe- 
matical prizes  named  after  him;  but  in  his  own  day  he 
was  famous  as  a  mathematician  and  his  treatise  on 
optics  was  translated  into  French  and  German.  The 
Essay  on  the  Roman  Senate,  written  by  Dr  Chapman, 
Master  of  Magdalene,  has  fallen  into  still  deeper 
oblivion;  but  yet  the  treatise,  when  published,  was 
thought  sufficiently  important  to  be  translated  into 
French.  Few. moreover  have  ever  heard  of  Dr  Law, 
Master  of  Peterhouse,  who,  when  a  Fellow  of  Christ's, 
assisted  to  edit  Roberti  Stephani  Thesaurus  Linguae 
Latinae\  and  probably  fewer  still  have  heard  of  Pro- 
fessor Rutherforth,  Fellow  and  Tutor  of  St  John's,  who 
was  accounted  one  of  the  best  scholars  in  the  university 
and  published  in  quick  succession  volumes  upon  the 
natural  sciences,  theology  and  international  law. 

This  list  of  forgotten  scholars  could  be  indefinitely 
extended,  and,  as  it  takes  some  trouble  to  produce  even 
a  bad  book,  industry  was  presumably  not  an  unknown 
virtue  in  the  university.  It  must  be  admitted  however 
that  if  scholarship  was  not  so  neglected  as  is  often  sup- 
posed, there  is  a  great  deal  of  truth  in  the  traditional 
belief  that  the  instruction  given  in  the  university  was 
very  far  from  satisfactory.  It  was  by  no  means  unknown 
for  a  newly  appointed  Professor  to  be  unacquainted 
with  the  very  rudiments  of  the  subject  he  was  supposed 
to  teach,  and  for  a  college  Tutor  systematically  to  neglect 
the  instruction  of  his  pupils.  Dr  Richard  Watson, 
Bishop  of  Llandaff,  was  in  many  ways  a  very  favourable 
specimen  of  an  eighteenth  century  Professor,  and  ap- 
pears conscientiously  to  have  discharged  his  duties  as  a 
teacher;  but  nothing  is  more  astonishing  than  the 
courage  with  which  he  shouldered  responsibilities  for 


6  INTRODUCTION 

which  he  was  most  inadequately  prepared.  He  has  left 
on  record  that,  when  he  was  appointed  Professor  of 
Chemistry  in  1764,  'he  knew  nothing  at  all  of  chem- 
istry, had  never  read  a  syllable  on  the  subject,  nor  seen 
a  single  experiment  in  it,'  and  that  it  was  only  by  as 
much  hard  work  as  his  'other  avocations  would  permit,' 
he  was  able,  fifteen  months  after  his  election,  to  deliver 
a  course  of  lectures.  Seven  years  later  he  was  appointed 
Regius  Professor  of  Divinity,  and  again  he  frankly 
admits  that  he  only  knew  as  much  divinity  'as  could 
reasonably  be  expected  from  a  man  whose  course  of 
studies  had  been  directed  to,  and  whose  time  had  been 
fully  occupied  in,  other  pursuits,'  and  that  it  was  not 
until  his  election  to  the  Regius  Professorship  that  he 
embarked  upon  the  study  of  theology^.  There  were 
probably  many  Professors  who  initially  were  as  badly 
equipped  as  Dr  Watson  and  never  troubled  to  over- 
come their  deficiencies,  and  others  who  possessed  the 
requisite  knowledge  but  preferred  not  to  impart  it  by 
way  of  lectures.  Edward  Waring,  who  was  Lucasian 
Professor  of  Mathematics  from  1760  to  1798,  did  not 
lecture  as  his  'profound  researches... were  not  adapted 
to  any  form  of  communication  by  lectures,'  and  Waring's 
case  is  only  singular  in  the  excuse  given  for  the  non- 
performance of  his  duties. 

The  average  college  Tutor  does  not  appear  to  have 
been  anymore  conscientious  than  the  average  Professor, 
and  Richard  Cumberland,  who  came  up  to  Trinity  as 
an  undergraduate  in  1747,  has  left  a  very  unfavourable 
account  of  the  instruction  he  received. 

'When  the  time  came  for  me  to  commence  my  residence  in 
college'  he  wrote  'my  father  accompanied  me  and  put  me 
under  the  care  of  the  Rev.  Dr  Morgan,  an  old  friend  of  our 
family  and  a  Senior  Fellow  of  that  society.  My  rooms  were 
closely  adjoining  to  his,  belonging  to  that  staircase  which  leads 

1  Anecdotes  of  the  life  of  Dr  Richard  Watson,  pp.  28,  29,  34. 


INTRODUCTION  7 

to  the  chapel  bell;  he  was  kind  to  me  when  we  met,  but  as  Tutor 
I  had  few  communications  with  him,  for  the  gout  afforded  him 
not  many  intervals  of  ease,  and  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
trifling  readings  in  TuUy's  Offices,  by  which  I  was  little  edified 
and  to  which  I  paid  little  or  no  attention,  he  left  me  and  one 
other  pupil... to  choose  and  pursue  our  studies  as  we  saw  fit^' 

There  were  however  Tutors  who  conscientiously  ful- 
filled their  duties  towards  their  pupils.  The  Rev.  James 
Backhouse  of  Trinity  is  now  only  remembered  as  the 
victim  of  some  scurrilous  verses  by  Porson^;  but  he 
appears  to  have  been  an  admirable  Tutor,  for  we  are 
told  that  he  'gave  regular  lectures  and  fulfilled  the 
duties  of  his  charge  ably  and  conscientiously^.'  Another 
Tutor  of  Trinity,  Thomas  Jones,  is  still  remembered  in 
the  college  for  which  he  laboured,  and  deserves  to  be 
remembered. 

'During  many  years'  it  is  recorded  in  his  biography  'he  con- 
tinued to  take  an  active  part  in  the  Senate  House  examinations; 
but  latterly  he  confined  himself  to  the  duties  of  college  Tutor. 
These  indeed  were  sufficiently  numerous  to  engage  his  whole 
attention;  and  he  displayed  in  them  an  ability,  which  was  rarely 
equalled,  with  an  integrity  which  never  was  surpassed*.' 

Jones  was  too  busy  as  a  Tutor  to  win  fame  as  a  writer, 
and  his  only  published  writings  are  a  sermon  on  duelling 
and  an  address  to  the  volunteers  of  Montgomeryshire; 
but  his  biographer,  while  regretting  that  much  of  his 
learning  died  with  him,  finds  consolation  in  the  know- 
ledge that 

his  lectures  on  philosophv  will  not  be  buried  in  oblivion:  all  his 
writings  on  those  subjects  have  been  delivered  to  his  successor 
in  the  tuition,  and,  though  less  amply  than  by  publication,  will 
continue  to  benefit  mankind^. 

1  Memoirs  of  Richard  Cumberland,  p.  69. 

^  Gunvan^h  Reminiscences,  u,  113— 114. 

^  Memoirs  of  Richard  Cumberland,  p.  69. 

*  Marsh's  Memoir  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Jones,  p.  7. 

^  Memoir  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Jones,  p.  9. 


8  INTRODUCTION 

There  is  little  doubt  however  that  we  have  im- 
proved upon  our  predecessors  in  regard  to  the  educa- 
tion given  in  the  university;  and,  though  there  are  some 
who  think  that  the  improvement  has  gone  too  far,  a 
return  to  the  eighteenth  century  standard  of  efficiency 
has  never  been  contemplated^.  There  has  also  been  an 
improvement  in  the  refinements  and  decencies  of  life. 
The  eighteenth  century  was  a  time  of  heavy  eating  and 
copious  drinking,  and  Cambridge,  faithfully  reflecting 
the  characteristics  of  the  age,  was  the  home  of  rude 
plentv.  Students  of  Gunning's  Reminiscences  are  familiar 
with  Dr  Ogden's  pathetic  complaint  that  the  goose  was 
a  silly  bird,  being  too  much  for  one  person  and  not 
enough  for  two^,  and  it  is  possible  that  some  of 
Ogden's  contemporaries  were  of  the  same  opinion  but 
lacked  the  ability  to  give  it  such  epigrammatic  expres- 
sion. Excesses  in  eating  and  drinking  were  certainly 
not  uncommon  phenomena.  Dr  Chapman,  Master  of 
Magdalene,  who  died  in  1760,  probably  shortened 
his  life  by  gluttony,  for  we  are  told  that,  about  a  week 
before  his  death,  '  he  eat  five  large  mackerel,  full  of  roe, 
to  his  own  share,  but  what  gave  the  finishing  stroke 
was  a  turbot  on  Trinity  Sunday,  of  which  he  left  but 
very  little  for  the  company^.'  Dr  Ridlington,  Fellow  of 
Trinity  Hall  and  Professor  of  Civil  Law,  was  more 

^  'It  is  interesting  to  note  that  whereas  the  earlier  Royal  Commissions 
were  concerned  with  providing  against  the  indifference  and  want  of 
conscientiousness  of  some  of  the  Fellows,  the  charge  now  made  in  some 
quarters  is  that  the  Fellows  overwork  themselves  at  teaching  and  ad- 
ministration.' Repor-i  of  the  Royal  Commission  on  Oxford  and  Cambridge 
Universities  (1922),  p.  39. 

^  Dr  Ogden  was  a  Fellow  of  St  John's  and  Professor  of  Geology. 
For  twenty  years  he  was  vicar  of  St  Sepulchre's  Church  in  Cambridge. 
He  published  volumes  of  sermons  and  was  warmly  commended  for  his 
merits  as  a  preacher  by  Dr  Johnson  who  remarked:  'I  should  like  to 
read  all  that  Ogden  has  written.' 

^  Gray's  Letters  (edited  by  D.  C.  Tovey),  11,  160. 


INTRODUCTION  9 

fortunate  though  not  more  temperate;  for,  when  sup- 
posed to  be  dying  of  the  dropsy,  he  'prescribed  himself 
a  boiled  chicken  entire  and  five  quarts  of  small  beer^,' 
and  by  aid  of  this  unorthodox  remedy  recovered.  Such 
Gargantuan  feats  must  have  been  rare,  but  self-indul- 
gence was  only  too  common  and  sometimes  had  dis- 
astrous results.  In  the  year  1779  the  Rev.  George 
Mounsey,  Fellow  and  Tutor  of  Jesus  College,  accom- 
panied some  friends  on  a  pleasure  party  on  the  river, 
and,  having  drunk  too  much, 

got  out  of  the  boat  at  Ditton  Plough,  a  public  house  on  the 
waterside,  and,  kneeling  down  before  a  number  of  people  who 
happened  to  be  there,  denied  his  faith,  blasphemously  reviled  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and... cursed  the  King,  the  Queen  and  all  the 
Royal  Family^. 

In  consequence  of  this  escapade  Mounsey  was  deprived 
of  his  Tutorship,  but  he  continued  to  hold  his  Fellow- 
ship, and  in  1780  officiated  as  Moderator  in  the  Schools 
when,  much  to  the  indignation  of  the  antiquarian.  Cole, 
'he  seemed  as  unconcerned  as  if  nothing  had  happened.' 
There  is  however  no  reason  to  think  that,  even  in  the 
eighteenth  century,  college  Tutors  habitually  imitated 
Ben-hadad,  King  of  Syria^;  but  the  general  standard  of 
conduct  left  much  to  be  desired  and  the  outlook  on  life 
was  very  often  frankly  materialistic.  When  the  Rev. 
Dr  Walker,  Vice-Master  of  Trinity,  lay  dying  in  1764, 
he  heard  one  of  his  nurses  say  'Ah,  poor  gentleman,  he 
is  going,'  and  his  comment,  though  it  would  have  been 
creditable  to  a  philosopher,  was  disgraceful  in  a  divine: 
'Going,  going,'  he  ejaculated,  'where  am  I  going .'^  I'm 
sure  I  know  no  more  than  the  man  in  the  moon*.'  The 

1   Gray's  Letters,  iii,  6i.  -  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  119. 

^  'And  they  went  out  at  noon.  But  Ben-hadad  was  drinking  himself 
drunk  in  the  paviHons,  he  and  the  kings,  the  thirty  and  two  kings  that 
helped  him.'  i  Kings,  ch.  xx.  16 

^  Gray's  Letters,  iii,  61. 


10  INTRODUCTION 

doubts  of  the  Vice-Master  were  probably  shared  by 
many,  and  it  was  perhaps  because  they  felt  so  uncertain 
of  the  future  that  they  sought  to  make  the  most  of  the 
present.  For  whatever  be  charged  against  the  senior 
members  of  the  university,  they  cannot  be  accused  of 
neglecting  their  worldly  interests,  and  Cambridge  was 
not  behindhand  in  that  shameless  hunt  for  places  and 
preferments  which  is  associated  with  the  eighteenth 
century.  As  long  as  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  remained 
in  the  service  of  the  king  and  dispensed  the  crown's 
ecclesiastical  patronage,  he  was  constantly  being  re- 
minded by  his  academic  supporters  of  their  claims  to 
recognition.  When  the  Deanery  of  Ely  fell  vacant,  both 
Dr  Prescot,  the  Master  of  St  Catharine's,  and  Dr  Law, 
the  Master  of  Peterhouse,  applied  to  the  Duke  for  the 
preferment,  Dr  Prescot  urging  that  he  had  'always  re- 
tained and  shewn  some  affection  to  the  royal  family-*-,' 
and  Dr  Law  imploring  the  Duke,  whose  displeasure  he 
had  incurred, 

to  give  credit  to  this,  my  solemn  and  sincere  profession,  that  as 
I  never  entertained  the  least  thought  of  seeking  any  patronage 
beside  that  of  your  Grace,  so  neither  -was  any  application  made 
either  by  me,  or,  to  my  knowledge,  for  me,  to  any  person  what- 
soever, but  in  perfect  concurrence  with  and  proper  subordination 
to  your  Grace's  pleasure^. 

In  1759  another  Head  of  a  House,  Dr  Sumner,  Provost 
of  King's,  requested  Newcastle  to  advance  him  in  the 
church;  and,  as  he  was  already  holding  a  canonry  and 
two  livings,  he  naively  suggested 

a  method,  perhaps  the  readiest,  of  carrying  into  execution  in  the 
most  effectual  manner  your  Grace's  favourable  intentions  towards 
me;  and  that  is,  my  Lord,  to  divest  me  at  once  of  both  my 
canonry  and  my  livings  by  placing  me  upon  the  Bench ^. 

Most  of  the  applicants  stated  their  wishes  in  plain 

1  Add.  MS.  32877,  f.  170.  2  Add.  MS.  32876,  f.  508. 

3  Add.  MS.  32896,  f.  168. 


INTRODUCTION  ii 

language,  commendably  free  from  ambiguity,  but  Dr 
Ogden  practised  the  oblique  mode  of  address.  Gunning 
in  his  Reminiscences  alludes  to  this  peculiarity,  and 
mentions  having  been  told  by  his  father  of  a  letter  from 
Ogden  to  a  prime  minister  which  began  'The  great 
are  always  liable  to  importunity,  those  who  are  good 
and  great  to  a  double  portion^';  and  a  letter,  which  has 
survived  among  the  papers  of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle, 
confirms  Gunning's  testimony.  Though  Ogden  in  1759 
held  the  livings  of  Damerham  in  Wiltshire  and  St 
Sepulchre's  in  Cambridge,  he  was  not  content  and  made 
an  exceedingly  characteristic  appeal  to  the  Duke. 

'Winchester,  my  Lord,'  he  wrote  in  the  April  of  that  year, 
'stands  well  for  the  vicar  of  your  parish  of  Damerham,  a  few 
hours  distance,  almost  in  the  road.  Let  me  bespeak  your  Grace's 
pardon,  but  it  is  impossible  to  pass  by  and  overlook  so  fine  an 
object  as  that  ancient  cathedral.  Your  Grace,  it  is  probable,  will 
shortly  place  a  new  bishop  in  the  only  see  almost  which  perhaps 
you  have  not  filled.  The  prebends  will  be  in  his  gift.  I  most 
humbly  take  my  leave  and  am,  etc. 2' 

It  was  inevitable  that  many  of  these  seekers  after 
preferment  should  be  disappointed,  but  it  can  be  con- 
fidently asserted  that  as  long  as  Newcastle  remained 
in  office  the  claims  of  Cambridge  were  recognised  in 
over-running  measure.  It  was  good  to  be  a  whig  in 
those  days,  but  still  better  to  be  a  Cambridge  whig, 
and  best  of  all  to  be  a  whig  who  had  been  educated  at 
Westminster  and  Clare,  the  Duke's  school  and  college. 
In  1748  Edmund  Castle,  Master  of  Corpus,  was  made 
Dean  of  Hereford;  and  Dr  John  Green,  who  in  1750 
succeeded  Castle  in  his  Mastership,  became  Dean  and 
afterwards  Bishop  of  Lincoln.  In  1752  Edmund  Keene, 
Master  of  Peterhouse,  was  given  the  Bishopric  of 
Chester,  and  in  1758  Dr  Yonge,  Master  of  Jesus,  be- 

^   Gunning's  Reminiscences,  i,  237. 
2  Add.  MS.  32890,  f.  292. 


12  INTRODUCTION 

came  Bishop  of  Bristol  and  later  Bishop  of  Norwich. 
Dr  Newcome,  Master  of  St  John's,  was  Dean  of 
Rochester,  and  Dr  Thomas,  Master  of  Christ's,  was 
Dean  of  Ely.  The  Duke's  Cambridge  supporters  cer- 
tainly did  not  serve  him  for  nought;  and,  if  we  blame 
them,  it  is  for  their  shamelessness  and  not  for  their 
ignorance  in  asking. 

This  hunger  for  advancement  in  the  church  had 
unfortunate  consequences.  The  university  was  not  only 
familiarised  with  the  most  sordid  side  of  contemporary 
political  life  but  suffered  in  its  independence.  It  was 
only  natural  that  men,  so  anxious  to  receive,  should  be 
timorous  of  offending  possible  benefactors  and  unwilling 
to  pay  much  attention  to  scruples  which  stood  in  the 
way  of  obedience  to  their  patrons.  Nice  customs  have 
to  curtsey  to  great  kings,  and  there  is  at  least  a  suspicion 
that  impartiality  in  university  and  college  examinations 
had  on  occasions  to  be  abandoned  to  comply  with  the 
wishes  of  the  great.  Thus  in  October  1757  the  Duke 
of  Newcastle  wrote  to  Dr  Green,  Master  of  Corpus, 
and  Dr  Rutherforth,  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity,  to 
recommend  to  their  favourable  attention  Jonathan 
Davies,  an  undergraduate  of  King's,  who  was  thinking 
of  competing  for  the  Craven  scholarship-*^. 

'My  Lord  Hertford,'  wrote  the  Duke,  'a  particular  friend  of 
mine,  having  desired  me,  as  you  will  see  by  the  enclosed  note, 
to  recommend  Mr  Davies,  who  is  represented  to  be  a  very 
ingenious  young  man,  to  your  favour  for  the  scholarship  founded 
by  Lord  Craven,  I  should  be  much  obliged  to  you  if  you  would 
be  so  good  as  to  assist  him  upon  that  occasion^'; 

and  the  request  was  most  sympathetically  received.  It 
is  true  that  Green  pointed  out  that  no  Craven  scholar- 
ship had  yet  been  declared  vacant,  that,  as  the  right  of 
electing  was  confined  to  the  Vice-Chancellor,  the  five 

1  Add.  MS.  32875,  f.  103,  f.  105,  f.  107. 

2  Add.  MS.  32875,  f.  103. 


INTRODUCTION  13 

Regius  Professors  and  the  Public  Orator,  he  would  not 
have  a  vote  until  he  became  Vice-Chancellor,  and  that 
the  candidates  for  this  scholarship  are  examined  with  great  care 
and  it  has  been  given,  as  far  as  I  have  been  concerned  in  the 
disposal,  to  those  v^^ho  w^anted  it  most  and  deserved  it  best; 

but,  having  paid  this  tribute  to  the  decencies,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  remark  that 

should  this  young  man's  character  and  improvements  be  found 
to  answer,  as  I  have  no  doubt  but  they  will  answer,  the  repre- 
sentation made  to  your  Grace,  I  should  with  the  utmost  readiness 
and  pleasure  assist  in  choosing  him^. 

Dr  Rutherforth  also  laid  stress  upon  the  strictness  of 
the  examination  and  the  keenness  of  the  competition; 
but  he  too  concluded  by  begging  leave 
to  assure  your  Grace  that  I  shall  in  this  and  every  other  instance 
act  under  the  fullest  sense  of  the  duty  which  I  owe  to  your 
Grace,  and  shall  be  ready  to  shew  my  Lord  Hertford's  friend 
all  the  favour  that  the  nature  of  the  examination  will  admit  of^. 

A  few  weeks  after  these  letters  were  written,  Dr 
Green  was  elected  Vice-Chancellor,  and,  two  days 
before  Christmas,  he  was  able  to  inform  Newcastle  that 
Lord  Hertford's  candidate  had  been  awarded  the  Craven 
scholarship. 

'It  is  with  great  pleasure'  he  wrote  'I  now  acquaint  your 
Grace  that  Mr  Davies,  a  scholar  of  King's  college,  whom  you 
were  pleased  to  recommend  at  Lord  Hertford's  request,  was  this 
day  elected  into  the  Craven  scholarship.  There  were  six  candi- 
dates who  were  examined  with  great  care  and  all  of  whom 
appeared  very  well  on  the  examination:  a  favourable  sign,  I 
should  hope,  that  good  letters  are  far  from  losing  ground  among 
us.  There  was  a  difference  in  their  attainments,  and  it  was 
judged  a  circumstance  much  in  Davies'  favour  that,  though  he 

^  Add.  MS.  32875,  f.  165.  The  five  Regius  Professors  were  the 
Regius  Professors  of  Physic,  Civil  Law,  Divinity,  Hebrew  and  Greek. 
The  Regius  Professor  of  History  was  not  an  elector  as  that  Professor- 
ship had  not  been  in  existence  when  the  scholarship  was  founded. 

2  Add.  MS.  32875,  f.  187. 


14  INTRODUCTION 

was  not  of  equall  standing,  he  had  made  equall  improvements 
with  the  best^.' 

As  Jonathan  Davies  became  in  after  life  Headmaster 
and  then  Provost  of  Eton,  it  is  possible  that  he  deserved 
the  scholarship^;  but,  while  this  is  only  a  surmise,  we 
know  for  certain  that  two  of  the  examiners  had  been 
prejudiced  in  his  favour,  and  that  Davies,  whether  he 
needed  it  or  not,  had  been  given  an  unfair  advantage 
over  the  other  candidates.  Nor  was  this  the  only  occasion 
on  which  Newcastle  successfully  played  the  part  of 
destiny  shaping  the  wills  of  examiners.  When  in  1762 
a  certain  John  Fuller  was  a  candidate  for  a  Trinity 
Fellowship,  his  uncle,  Rose  Fuller,  who  was  a  member 
of  parliament,  asked  Newcastle  to  use  his  influence, 
and  the  Duke,  without  hesitation  and  without  delay, 
wrote  to  the  Master,  Dr  Smith,  the  Vice-Master,  Dr 
Walker  and  the  two  Tutors,  Backhouse  and  Whisson^. 
His  letter  to  Whisson  is  a  fair  example  of  his  mode  of 
approach. 

'Though  I  hope  for  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  to-morrow 
with  our  address '  he  wrote  '  I  would  not  omit  acquainting  you 
that  my  friend,  Mr  Rose  Fuller,  has  earnestly  desired  me  to 
recommend  his  nephew,  Mr  Fuller,  of  your  college,  to  be  chose 
Fellow  at  your  next  election.  I  shall  be  very  much  obliged  to 
you  if  you  would  favour  him  with  your  vote  and  assistance.  I 
hear  he  is  a  very  good  young  man^.' 

Of  the  four  electors  thus  appealed  to,  the  two  Tutors 
were  apparently  most  anxious   to   please.   Backhouse 

1  Add.  MS.  32876,  f.  408. 

^  He  apparently  preserved  a  pleasant  memory  of  having  won  the 
Craven,  for  by  his  will  he  left  a  thousand  pounds  to  found  a  scholarship 
to  be  called  'Dr  Davies'  university  scholarship,'  and  he  specially 
mentioned  in  his  will  that  he  bequeathed  this  money  'remembering 
that  he  was  so  fortunate  as  to  get  one  of  the  said  university  scholarships.' 

3  Add.  MS.  32941,  f.  335,  f.  391,  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  33,  f.  99, 
f.  131,  f.  133. 

^  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  131. 


INTRODUCTION  15 

assured  Newcastle  that,  as  his  greatest  happiness  was 
to  serve  him,  '  I  will  certainly  endeavour  to  serve  that 
young  gentleman  as  far  as  may  be  consistent  with  my 
indispensible  (sic)  duty  to  my  own  pupils^,'  and  Whisson 
declared  that  '  Mr  Fuller's  nephew  may  depend  upon 
my  best  services  at  our  next  election^.'  The  Vice-Master 
was  more  cautious.  He  pointed  out  that  there  were  more 
candidates  than  vacancies,  that  'the  Master  and  Seniors 
take  a  solemn  oath  to  choose  those  that  have  made 
greatest  proficiency  in  their  studies,'  and  that  much 
would  depend  upon  Fuller  acquitting  himself  well  in 
the  examination;  but  he  significantly  added  'where 
there  is  an  equality  there  is  room  for  favour^.'  The 
Master  however  remained  silent.  Not  until  after  the 
election  had  taken  place  did  he  reply  to  the  Duke  and 
then  he  rebuked  him: 

'Your  Grace,  I  hope,  will  excuse  this  late  answer  to  your 
letter'  he  wrote  'as  I  could  not  sooner  say  anything  satisfactory 
to  it  for  want  of  knowing  the  number  of  vacancies  and  the 
merits  of  the  candidates.  For  a  long  time  we  had  but  two 
vacancies,  till  last  night  I  received  a  resignation  of  two  more, 
and  this  morning  we  filled  them  up  with  these  bachelors  of 
arts — Fountaine,  Hilton,  Fuller  and  Zouch,  elected  out  of 
twelve  candidates*.' 

Thus,  though  the  Master  had  kept  his  counsel  and 
the  Vice-Master  had  been  guarded,  Fuller  secured  his 
Fellowship;  and  it  is  possible  that  the  Master  would 
not  have  displayed  such  Roman  virtue  if  Newcastle,  a 
few  months  before,  had  not  been  driven  from  office  and 
the  cabinet.  It  is  of  course  quite  possible  that  the  Duke's 
interference  had  not  influenced  the  issue  in  the  slightest 
degree;  but  it  was  clearly  in  the  highest  degree  un- 
desirable that  there  should  be  any  interference  at  all. 
Yet,  as  long  as  many  among  the  university  authorities 

1  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  277.  2  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  322. 

3  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  99.  4  Add.  MS.  32943,  f.  9. 


i6  INTRODUCTION 

were  dependent  upon  the  great,  it  was  difficult  to 
prevent  the  great  from  intervening;  for  it  must  not  be 
imagined  that  the  practice  originated  with  or  was 
confined  to  the  Duke  of  Newcastle.  As  Chancellor  he 
was  closely  in  touch  with  the  authorities  of  the  uni- 
versity and  therefore  favourably  situated  to  exercise 
an  influence;  but  he  was  certainly  not  the  only  noble- 
man who  commended  a  candidate  for  a  scholarship  or 
fellowship  to  the  favourable  consideration  of  the  ex- 
aminers and  electors.  But,  even  if  the  university  had 
been  immune  from  outside  interference,  it  is  unlikely 
that  all  would  have  been  well;  for  jobbery  had  bitten 
deep  into  the  age  and  was  by  no  means  a  monopoly  of 
politicians. 

'  I  was  the  second  Wrangler  of  my  year '  wrote  Dr  Watson  in 
his  memoirs  'the  leading  Moderator  having  made  a  person  of 
his  own  college  and  one  of  his  private  pupils  the  first,  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  general  sense  of  the  examiners  in  the  Senate 

House  who  declared  in  my  favour Our  old  Master^  sent  for 

me  and  told  me  not  to  be  discouraged,  for  that,  when  the 
Johnians  had  the  disposal  of  the  honours,  the  second  Wrangler 
was  always  looked  upon  as  the  first^.' 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  that  a  change  has 
taken  place  in  the  morals  and  manners  of  the  university 
since  the  eighteenth  century;  and  the  change  has  not 
been  confined  to  the  senior  members.  Two  hundred 
years  ago  disorderly  and  riotous  conduct  was  far  more 
common  among  undergraduates  than  nowadays,  and 
discipline  was  lax  and  ineffective.  In  1716  a  decree, 
issued  by  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  Heads  of  Houses, 
called  attention  to  the 

late  divers  disorders  among  several  scholars  of  the  university, 
tumultuously  meeting  together,  provoking  and  exasperating  one 
another   by   invidious   names,   opprobrious   words,   hissing  and 

1  Dr  Smith.  2  Watson's  Anecdotes,  p.  18. 


INTRODUCTION  17 

shouting  one  against  another,  throwing  of  stones  and  other  great 
irregularities^; 

and,  twelve  years  later,  another  decree  alluded  to  the 
disorder  which  had  arisen  'to  the  manifest  scandal  of 
the  university,  the  destruction  of  all  good  order  and 
discipline,  and  to  the  great  and  sometimes  irreparable 
injury  of  persons  educated  amongst  us^.'  In  1749  two 
Fellow  Commoners  of  Trinity  were  convicted  in  the 
Vice-Chancellor's  court  of  being  at  an  inn  until  4 
o'clock  on  Sunday  morning  June  4th,  and  then  going 
to  the  Market  Cross  and  'in  a  riotous  manner  eating 
lobsters  and  drinking  a  bottle  of  wine  there ^';  and  in 
an  undated  letter  the  poet  Gray  complains  that 

the  Fellow  Commoners  (the  Bucks)  are  run  mad,  they  set 
women  upon  their  heads  in  the  streets  at  (noon)  day,  break  open 
shops,  game  in  the  coffee  houses  on  Sunday,  and  in  short  act 
after  my  heart^. 

Sometimes  the  disorder  assumed  serious  proportions, 
and  in  April  1751  Dr  Keene,  Master  of  Peterhouse, 
was  called  upon  as  Vice-Chancellor  to  quell  a  riot  which 
might  easily  have  resulted  in  bloodshed. 

'Major  Folkes  and  Captain  Shaftoe'  he  informed  the  Chan- 
cellor 'came  to  Cambridge  on  Sunday  noon  and  Frederick 
Vane^  accidentally  met  with  them.  They  three  went  to  Mr 
Ladd's  room  and  drank  seven  bottles  of  claret.  On  the  officers 
going  away,  Mr  Ladd  and  Mr  Vane  went  into  the  post-chaise 
with  them  in  their  habits  and,  as  they  say,  with  a  design  of  going 
a  mile  on  the  Huntingdon  road  and  then  walking  back.  This 
was  done  about  six  o'clock  on  Sunday  even,  and  when  they  came 
to  the  turnpike,  just  at  the  end  of  the  town,  they  saw  two  young 
women  drinking  tea  with  some  tradesmen;  and  Shaftoe  and 
Vane  got  out  of  the  chaise  and  went  into  the  house,  and,  upon 
the  young  women  retreating,  they  forced  themselves  upstairs, 

^  Cooper's  Annals,  iv,  143.  ^  Cooper's  Annals,  iv,  204. 

^  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  119.  ^  Gray's  Letters,  i,  162. 

^  Vane  was  a  Fellow  Commoner  of  Peterhouse  and  afterwards 
represented  the  county  of  Durham  in  parliament. 


1 8  INTRODUCTION 

broke  the  windows  of  the  house,  and  beat  the  young  men  who 
had  by  this  time  secured  the  girls  in  the  cellar.  It  appears  that 
Folkes  and  Mr  Ladd  continued  in  the  chaise  and  desired  the 
others  to  desist.  This  disturbance  occasioned  the  neighbours  to 
collect  themselves,  and  constables  were  sent  for  and  blows 
ensued.  After  some  time  Mr  Vane  got  upon  a  horse  and  rode 
into  the  town  and  endeavoured  to  summon  the  gownsmen  by 
telling  them  that  the  townsmen  were  murdering  some  gentle- 
men of  the  university;  and,  had  it  happened  that  any  number 
could  have  been  collected,  God  knows  what  might  have  been 
the  consequence,  considering  that  the  townspeople  are  greatly 
irritated  by  the  last  affair.  The  moment  I  heard  of  the  affair  I 
immediately  ordered  the  college  gates  to  be  shut  and  went 
myself  down  to  the  coffee-house  where  I  found  Ladd  and  Vane 
with  many  gownsmen  and  strangers  and  much  mob  assembled 
about  the  door.  I  secured  Vane  and  sent  him  home  in  my  chariot 
attended  by  Brockett.  I  directed  the  rest  of  the  gownsmen  to  go 
home  forthwith,  requested  of  the  strangers  that  they  would  go 
to  their  inns,  and  I  read  the  proclamation  amongst  the  people 
who  immediately  dispersed,  and  so  an  end  was  put  to  this  dis- 
turbance^.' 

This  is  not  the  only  instance  of  a  Vice-Chancellor 
being  called  upon  to  quell  a  riot;  for  in  a  letter  written 
in  March  1770  it  is  mentioned  that 

on  one  of  the  days  of  our  late  assizes  there  was  a  very  great 
disturbance  and  tumult  in  the  court  between  the  gownsmen 
and  the  townsmen,  insomuch  that  the  Judge  (Adams),  after 
having  tried  other  means  of  appeasing  it,  was  at  last  forced  to 
stop  all  business  and  to  send  for  the  Vice-Chancellor^. 

Disorder,   indeed,   was  unpleasantly  frequent,   and  in 

1 78  I  there  was  another  disturbance  on  a  serious  scale. 

Six  men  of  different  colleges,  after  supping  together  at 

Emmanuel,   were   proceeding   in   the   direction   of  St 

Catharine's 

in  two  parties,  four  in  one,  two  in  the  second,  of  which  the  last 

was  about  thirty  yards  behind  the  other.  The  four  passed  by 

1  Add.  MS.  32724,  f.  236. 

2  Add.  MS.  32628,  f.  102,  f.  104,  f.  105. 


INTRODUCTION  19 

Mrs  Jacob's  house,  who  was  then  leaning  over  her  hatch,  with- 
out taking  any  notice  of  her.  One  of  the  two  hindmost  held  out 
his  hand  to  shake  hands  with  her  and  she  gave  him  hers;  at  the 
same  instant  almost,  his  companion  gave  either  her  or  the  hatch 
a  push  which  threw  her  backwards  in  the  passage;  her  son  in 
law,  Elkin,  rushed  out  to  seize  the  man,  the  old  woman  followed, 
a  scuffle  ensued,  and  a  blow  with  a  heavy  stick,  intended  for 
Elkin,  fell  on  Mrs  Jacob's  head  who  shrieked  and  cried  'murder.' 
At  the  cry  of  murder  the  four  hastened  back  and  also  Prettyman 
of  Pembroke^  the  Moderator,  who  was  passing  accidentally. 
I  fancy  one  or  two  also  from  the  neighbouring  houses^. 

Thereupon  a  general  scuffle  ensued,  and  the  unfortu- 
nate Pretyman,  '  having  no  gown  on  and  being  in  boots,' 
was  mistaken  for  a  townsman  and  'received  a  violent 
blow  on  the  face  from  an  undergraduate^.'  Proceedings 
against  the  six  offenders  were  taken  in  the  Vice-Chan- 
cellor's court;  and  although  four  of  them  escaped  with 
a  fine  and  reprimand,  the  other  two  were  fined  and 
rusticated  for  a  year^. 

It  is  of  course  quite  true  that  young  men  will  always 
incline  to  disorder,  and  that  nowadays  it  is  not  unknown 
for  undergraduates  to  overstep  the  limits  of  decorous 
behaviour.  Nevertheless  it  is  impossible  to  deny  that 
discipline  was  lax  and  rioting  far  too  common.  Nor  was 
it  unknown  for  individuals  among  the  authorities  to  be 
threatened  with  violence.  About  1779  an  undergraduate 
of  Emmanuel  was  bound  over  to  keep  the  peace  for 

^  Pretyman,  who  afterwards  took  the  name  of  Tomline,  had  a  dis- 
tinguished career  in  the  church  and  for  the  last  seven  years  of  his  life 
was  Bishop  of  Winchester.  In  1821  he  published  a  biography  of  the 
younger  Pitt. 

2  Add.  MS.  35658,  f.  53.  3  /^/^_ 

*  An  account  of  the  proceedings  in  the  Vice-Chancellor's  court  is 
given  in  a  manuscript  in  the  University  Library  (MMV,  51).  Among 
the  witnesses  was  Rose  Elkin,  the  fair  Jewess,  mentioned  by  Gunning. 
The  story  told  by  the  witnesses  does  not  agree  in  detail  with  the  version 
given  above;  but  the  differences  are  not  material. 


20  INTRODUCTION 

threatening  to  shoot  Dr  HalHfax,  the  Regius  Professor 
of  Civil  Law,  whom  he  accused  of  having  slandered 
him;  and  though  the  charitably  disposed  were  convinced 
that  the  young  man  was  not  right  in  the  head,  the 
Fellows  of  Emmanuel  refused  to  admit  that  he  was 
'out  of  the  way^.'  But  a  far  more  grievous  fate  befell 
Dr  Rooke,  Master  of  Christ's,  who  for  some  months 
went  in  fear  of  being  chastised  by  John  Hutton,  an 
ex-Fellow  Commoner  of  his  college.  It  appears  that 
Hutton,  who  had  entered  Christ's  in  November  1747, 
was  admonished  early  in  his  university  career  by  the 
Master  for  some  gross  irregularity;  and,  as  he  con- 
tinued refractory,  his  family  was  requested  in  1749  to 
remove  him  from  the  college.  Rightly  or  wrongly,  and 
probably  wrongly,  he  considered  himself  a  victim  of 
tyranny  and  injustice;  and  the  full  weight  of  his  anger 
fell  upon  the  Master  whom  he  regarded  as  principally, 
if  not  solely,  responsible  for  his  disgrace.  He  brooded 
over  his  wrongs,  and  when  about  Christmas  1750  he 
visited  Cambridge,  he  called  upon  Dr  Rooke,  used  in- 
sulting language  to  him  and  repeated  his  insults  in  the 
combination  room.  Two  years  later  he  was  again  in 
Cambridge,  but  on  this  occasion  the  Master  was  away; 
nevertheless  Hutton  went  about  the  town  declaring 
that  he  would  insult  and  abuse  Dr  Rooke  whenever  and 
wherever  he  met  him.  He  was  clearly  obsessed  with  the 
idea  of  revenge,  and  when  on  April  19th,  1753,  which 
happened  to  be  Maundy  Thursday,  the  Master  re- 
turned to  spend  Easter  in  college,  he  must  have  been 
alarmed  to  hear  that  Hutton  had  been  some  days  in 
Cambridge,  awaiting  his  return^. 

Until  Easter  Sunday  nothing  happened,  but  on  the 

1  Add.  MS.  35626,  f.  100.  Dr  Hallifax  was  originally  a  Fellow  of 
Jesus  but  migrated  to  Trinity  Hall  in  1760.  In  178 1  he  became  Bishop 
of  Gloucester. 

2  Add.  MS.  33061,  f  345. 


INTRODUCTION  21 

afternoon  of  that  day,  when  Dr  Rooke  was  dining  in 
hall  with  the  Fellows  and  scholars,  Hutton 
came  into  the  backgate  of  the  said  college  on  horseback  with 
pistols... and  riding  along  a  passage,  which  is  only  a  way  from 
one  part  of  the  college  to  the  other,  and  never  used  for  a  horse- 
way or  even  by  passengers  on  foot  but  by  sufferance,  and  at  the 
entrance  into  the  screens,  which  is  a  covered  and  paved  passage 
between  the  hall  on  one  hand  and  the  buttery  and  kitchen  on 
the  other,  the  porter  of  the  college,  meeting  and  desiring  him 
not  to  ride  through  the  said  screens,  especially  as  the  Master 
and  Fellows  were  then  at  dinner  in  the  hall,  he,  the  said  John 
Hutton,  threatened  to  blow  out  the  said  porter's  brains  or  the 
brains  of  anyone  who  should  offer  to  stop  him;  and  accordingly, 
riding  down  the  steps  and  through  the  said  screens,  he  pro- 
ceeded through  the  court  of  the  said  college, 

cursing  and  vilifying  the  Master  'in  a  very  outrageous 
manner^,' 

This  was  merely  a  foretaste  of  what  was  to  happen 
later  in  the  day.  Between  eight  and  nine  o'clock  that 
evening,  Hutton  came  again  into  college,  and  on  learn- 
ing that  the  Master  was  at  home,  took  his  stand  outside 
the  Lodge  and  volleyed  oaths  and  curses.  When  the 
Master's  servant  appeared,  Hutton  seized  hold  of  him 
and  began  to  beat  him,  and  a  porter,  who  rushed  to  the 
rescue  of  the  unfortunate  domestic,  was  in  his  turn 
knocked  down  and  chastised.  Disturbed  in  their  studies 
by  the  noise  in  the  court,  two  scholars  of  the  college, 
John  Tatham  and  John  Bull,  appeared  on  the  scene 
and  attempted  to  restore  order,  and,  rather  unwisely, 
the  Master  issued  from  the  Lodge  and  began  to  ex- 
postulate with  Hutton.  What  followed  is  related  by  the 
Master  in  a  formal  account  of  the  proceedings  which  he 
afterwards  compiled. 

'He  not  only'  declared  Dr  Rooke  'renewed  his  curses  and 
abuse  of  and  threats  against  this  deponent  hut  actually  endeavoured 
to  break  from  the  persons,  who  withheld  him,  to  come  at  this 
1  Add.  MS.  33061,  f.  345. 


22  INTRODUCTION 

deponent.  And  that  with  a  design  and  intention,  as  this  deponent 
verily  believes,  to  assault  and  do  him  some  bodily  harm ;  and  was 
with  great  difficulty  withheld  from  such  assault,  and  at  last  put 
out  of  the  said  college  by  the  assistance  of  two  scholars  and  some 
of  the  college  servants,  though  without  any  kind  of  violence 
either  done  or  offered  to  him;  and  when  he  was  out  of  the  gates 
he  still  continued  to  abuse  and  threaten  this  deponent,  and  in 
particular  said  that  if  ever  he  saw  him  at  Carlile  (sic),  where 
some  of  this  deponent's  friends  live,  that  he  would  play  the  devil 
with  him  or  words  to  that  effect,  and  also  further  swore,  as  this 
deponent  is  informed  and  believes,  that,  if  he  met  him  on  the 
road  in  his  chaise  at  any  time,  he  would  run  him  into  the 
ditchi.' 

And  another  witness  testified  that  Hutton,  after  being 
ejected,  stood  outside  the  gate  and  loudly  denounced 
the  Master  as  a  'damned  scrub  and  a  scoundrel^.' 

After  such  an  experience  Dr  Rooke  cannot  be  blamed 
for  seeking  the  protection  of  the  law.  He  began  pro- 
ceedings in  the  court  of  King's  Bench,  and  a  grave 
public  scandal  was  only  averted  by  the  intervention  of 
Hutton's  uncle,  the  Archbishop  of  York^,  who,  as  a 
former  Fellow  of  the  college,  a  friend  of  the  Chancellor, 
and  a  great  ecclesiastical  dignitary,  was  in  a  position  to 
exercise  considerable  influence.  At  the  express  wish  of 
the  Archbishop,  the  Master  abandoned  the  legal  pro- 
ceedings and  consented  to  abide  by  the  judgment  of  the 
Chancellor  who  decreed  that  Hutton,  in  the  presence 
of  the  Vice-Chancellor,  the  Master  of  Christ's  and  the 
two  senior  Fellows  of  the  college,  should  confess  to  have 
acted  wrongly,  promise  not  to  ofi-end  again,  and  enter 
'into  a  recognisance  in  the  penalty  of  five  hundred 

1  Add.  MS.  33061,  f.  345.  2  j^i^_ 

^  Matthew  Hutton,  who  had  been  an  undergraduate  of  Jesus  before 
he  became  a  Fellow  of  Christ's,  was  created  Archbishop  of  York  in 
1747,  and,  ten  years  later,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury.  He  is  described 
as  an  amiable  and  cheerful  person  who  'never  let  himself  down  below 
the  dignity  of  an  Archbishop.' 


INTRODUCTION  23 

pounds  to  be  of  good  behaviour  towards  Dr  Rooke  for 
the  future.'  The  Master,  thinking  that  the  demand 
might  '  excite  some  animosity, '  waived  his  claim  to  the 
recognisance,  but  the  rest  of  the  sentence  was  carried 
out,  though  Hutton,  refractory  to  the  last,  did  not 
apparently  make  his  apology  with  a  very  good  grace^. 
Yet,  though  riotous  and  disorderly  conduct  was  far 
too  common,  it  is  important  to  bear  in  mind  that  the 
offenders  belonged  to  the  comparatively  small  class  of 
wealthy  young  men  who  came  up  to  the  university  to 
amuse  themselves  and  lacked  the  outlet  of  athletics  for 
the  dissipation  of  their  energy.  It  is  significant  that  the 
calm,  which  prevailed  in  the  university  early  in  the 
year  1752,  was  attributed  by  the  then  Vice-Chancellor 
to 

the  good  conduct  of  Lord  Euston,  Lord  John  Cavendish,  Lord 
Weymouth  and  his  brother,  Sir  John  Armitage,  Mr  Yorke, 
Mr  Hervey,  and  some  others  that  might  be  named  of  some 
distinction,  whose  example  cannot  fail  of  having  the  best  effects^; 

and  it  is  frequently  forgotten  that  the  gilded  youth 
were  comparatively  few  in  number,  and  that  there  were 
many  poor  and  industrious  undergraduates  who  had 
neither  the  means  nor  the  inclination  to  indulge  in 
extravagance  and  disorder.  Dr  Watson,  while  specially 

1  Add.  MS.  32731,  f.  457;  Add.  MS.  32732,  f.  97,  f.  98,  f.  160; 
Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  27. 

^  Add.  MS.  32728,  f.  127.  About  1774  the  usual  annual  allowance 
for  a  Fellow  Commoner  was  three  hundred  pounds.  Philip  Yorke  went 
into  residence  at  Queens'  in  that  year,  and  his  uncle.  Lord  Hardwicke, 
inquired  of  the  President  what  allowance  the  hoy  ought  to  have.  'As 
your  Lordship  '  replied  the  President  'may  wish  to  have  your  question 
concerning  allowance  for  a  Fellow  Commoner  satisfied,  I  will  not  defer 
writing  any  longer,  though  I  have  but  little  else  to  add.  I  have  lately 
made  enquiry  at  three  other  colleges,  besides  those  which  I  had  men- 
tioned to  your  Lordship  whilst  at  Wimple,  viz.  Clare  Hall,  Trinity 
Hall,  and  Caius.  They  all,  as  well  as  those  which  I  had  enquired  of  before, 
seem  to  agree  in  about  ;^300  per  annum,  keeping  a  servant  and  horse, 
clothes  and  pocket  money  included.'  Add.  MS.  35628,  f.  170. 


24  INTRODUCTION 

excepting  noblemen  and  Fellow  Commoners,  declared 
that  'there  is  no  seminary  of  learning  in  Europe  in 
which  youth  are  more  zealous  to  excel  during  the  first 
years  of  their  education  than  in  the  university  of  Cam- 
bridge^'; and  there  is  no  reason  to  think  that  Dr 
Watson,  who  came  up  to  Trinity  as  a  sizar  in  1754, 
was  merely  generalising  from  his  own  exemplary  and 
industrious  career  as  an  undergraduate.  In  1774  an 
undergraduate  of  St  John's  communicated  to  his  friend, 
Philip  Yorke,  then  a  Fellow  Commoner  of  Queens',  a 
set  of  rules  for  university  life  which  certainly  suggests 
a  strenuous  existence.  The  victim  of  this  code  was 
commanded  to 

rise  at  six — chapel,  walk,  breakfast  till  eight — eight  to  nine, 
prepare  for  lecture  (private  tutor  rather,  if  within  your  expense) 
— nine  to  ten  the  college  lecture — ten  to  eleven,  revision  of 
lectures — eleven  to  twelve,  logick  or  mathematics,  college 
lecture — twelve  to  three  correspondence,  dress  dinner,  coffee- 
house or  friend's  rooms  to  drink  wine — three  to  five  Greek 
history  or  translation — five  to  six,  visits,  tea-drinking — six  to 
seven,  Locke  (or  private  tutor  rather) — seven  to  eight,  chapel, 
hall,  classical  part  of  examination  (college  exercise)  extending 
sometimes  beyond  eight, — nine  to  eleven,  friend's  rooms  or  com- 
panv  at  home — eleven  to  six,  rest  (seven  hours) — wash  before 
chapel,  and  take  with  vou  a  small  Greek  testament  in  your 
pocket-.  "I  do  suppose'  commented  Philip  Yorke  in  a  letter  to 
his  uncle.  Lord  Hardwicke,  'that  the  hours  and  some  certain 
exercises  mav  be  immediatelv  cast  for  that  particular  society  and 
may  require  a  different  application  in  anv  other.  I  have  con- 
sulted mv  voung  acquaintance  how  far  he  fi.nds  this  good  plan 
practicable.  He  verv  candidlv  confesses  that  he  cannot  bring 
himself  to  fill  the  whole  circle  which  he  allows  to  be  excellent. 
With  vour  Lordship's  leave  I  will  give  vou  the  journal  of  his 
practice.  Rise  at  six,  breakfast  and  walk  till  eight,  look  over 
lectures  till  nine,  go  to  lecture  till  ten,  private  tutor  till  eleven, 
lecture   till   twelve,  till  one,   dress  and  write  lectures,  dinner, 

1  A':e:dote;  c" :-e  I'-.'e  :-'  D"  Richard  IFacscn,  rr.  r--r>. 
-  Aid.  MS.'3;65>^  f.  ;+. 


INTRODUCTION  25 

cofFee-house  and  walk  till  four,  to  my  rooms  till  five,  coffee- 
house again  till  six,  private  tutor  till  seven,  chapel  and  hall  till 
half  after  eight,  half  an  hour  in  my  rooms,  and  from  nine  to 
eleven  in  company.  He  concludes  by  saying  that  this  has  hitherto 
been  the  regular  plan  of  his  time,  sometimes  broken  into  but  not 
often,  which  he  imagines  will  increase  as  the  summer  comes  on^.' 

It  will  be  noticed  that  Philip  Yorke's  'young  ac- 
quaintance' had  considerably  modified  the  original  pro- 
gramme and  anticipated  having  to  make  still  further 
modifications;  but,  as  he  was  possibly  a  Fellow  Com- 
moner, it  is  to  his  credit  that  he  attempted  as  much  as 
he  did.  He  was  perhaps  assisted  to  be  virtuous  by  the 
exceptional  conditions  prevailing  at  St  John's,  the 
Master,  Dr  Powell,  having  introduced  the  practice  of 
annual  college  examinations ;  but  it  may  be  assumed 
that  the  ordinary  boy,  who  came  up  to  Cambridge  to 
carve  out  a  career,  would  not  have  had  the  same  diffi- 
culties in  conforming  to  a  scheme  of  life  which  was 
presumably  not  impossible  of  practice.  Industry  was 
clearly  not  unknown  among  the  junior  members  of  the 
university;  and,  as  we  hear  so  much  of  the  exploits  of 
the  'Bucks,'  we  are  apt  to  forget  that  then  as  now  the 
idle  rich  were  only  a  small  though  aggressive  minority. 
But  if  eighteenth  century  Cambridge  was  not  so  black 
as  it  has  been  painted,  it  was  certainly  very  different 
from  what  it  is  at  the  present  day.  Both  '  dons '  and 
undergraduates  belons^ed  to  an  old  order  which  has 
passed  away;  and  the  change  which  has  taken  place  is 
not  only  in  respect  of  customs  and  manners.  The 
machinery  of  government  has  been  entirely  transformed 
and  the  ancient  constitution  thrown  upon  the  dustheap 
ot  antiquities. 

An  enquiry  into  the  constitution  of  the  university  in 
the  eighteenth  century  mav  be  thought  a  waste  of 
labour,  but  it  at  least  serves  to  confirm  the  truth  of  the 

1  Add.  MS.  35658,  f.  32. 


26  INTRODUCTION 

maxim  that  institutional  progress  is  from  complexity  to 
simplicity.  For  whatever  may  be  said  of  the  machinery 
of  university  government  two  hundred  years  ago  it 
cannot  possibly  be  described  as  simple.  The  constitu- 
tion was  based  partly  on  the  Elizabethan  statutes, 
partly  on  earlier  statutes  unrepealed  by  the  Elizabethan 
code,  partly  on  royal  letters  accepted  by  the  uni- 
versity, and  partly  on  ordinances  or  by-laws  passed  from 
time  to  time  by  Graces  of  the  Senate;  and  thus  it  was 
not  the  work  of  one  architect,  uniform  and  symmetrical, 
but  an  edifice  built  up  through  the  ages  and  reflecting 
many  difl-erent  styles.  Nor  were  its  different  parts  of 
equal  sanction  and  authority;  for  though  the  Senate, 
acting  alone,  could  repeal  or  modify  its  own  by-laws 
and  the  ancient  statutes,  it  was  unable  to  make  any 
change  in  the  Elizabethan  statutes  or  in  that  part  of 
the  constitution  which  was  based  upon  the  royal  letters 
accepted  by  the  university.  Thus  the  independent 
authority  of  the  Senate  was  strictly  prescribed,  and  this 
tendency  to  inflexibility  was  still  further  increased  by 
the  growth  of  customs  and  conventions  which,  though 
without  legal  sanction,  had  in  practice  almost  the  same 
authority  as  law  and  materially  diminished  the  elasticity 
of  the  constitution.  Therefore  for  a  full  understanding 
of  the  actual  system  something  more  is  needed  than  a 
knowledge  of  the  Elizabethan  statutes,  for  a  freedom, 
which  was  permitted  by  law,  was  not  infrequently  for- 
bidden by  custom. 

The  highest  office  in  the  university,  as  at  present, 
was  that  of  Chancellor.  Originally  the  Chancellor  had 
been  chosen  for  a  term  of  two  years  from  among  the 
resident  members  of  the  university,  but  about  the  six- 
teenth century  the  custom  began  of  conferring  the 
offlce  for  life  upon  some  eminent  statesman  or  mag- 
nate who  was  expected  to  protect  the  university  and 
to  further  its  interests.  The  inevitable  consequence  of 


INTRODUCTION  27 

this  innovation  was  that  the  Chancellor  became  a  non- 
resident official,  his  duties  and  functions  being  dis- 
charged by  the  Vice-Chancellor  who  thus  became  for 
practical  purposes  the  most  important  person  in  the 
university.  It  was  provided  by  the  statutes  that  the 
Vice-Chancellor  should  be  annually  elected  by  the  un- 
divided Senate^  from  two  candidates  nominated  by  the 
Heads  of  Houses;  and  it  was  further  provided  that  in 
the  event  of  the  votes  of  the  Heads  being  equally 
divided  between  several  candidates,  the  Regius  Pro- 
fessor of  Divinity  should  determine  'which  two  of  those 
who  have  equal  voices  shall  be  proposed  to  the  body^.' 
Thus  the  Senate  was  only  permitted  to  choose  between 
two  candidates  and  still  further  restrictions  were  im- 
posed by  custom.  In  theory  any  graduate  of  a  degree 
not  inferior  to  that  of  master  of  arts  was  eligible  for 
election  as  Vice-Chancellor;  but  by  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury it  had  become  a  well-established  practice  only  to 
nominate  Heads  of  Houses,  and,  indeed,  to  reduce  the 
nomination  and  election  to  a  mere  form  by  invariably 
appointing  the  senior  in  degree  among  those  Heads  of 
Houses  who  had  not  already  served  as  Vice-Chancellor^. 
There  was  much  to  be  said  for  confining  the  most 
important  office  in  the  university  to  Heads  of  Houses, 
but  the  establishment  of  a  regular  rotation  by  seniority 
of  degree  is  open  to  criticism.  It  not  infrequently  hap- 
pened that  a  recently  appointed  Master  of  a  college, 
who  had  long  been  absent  from  the  university  and  was 
totally  unacquainted  with  its  business,  found  himself 
Vice-Chancellor  within   two  or  three  months   of  be- 

^  For  purposes  of  legislation  the  Senate  was  divided  into  two  houses, 
regents  and  non-regents. 

^  Add.  MS.  32960,  f.  143.  It  was  expressly  provided  that  no  one 
holding  the  office  of  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity  could  serve  as  Vice- 
Chancellor. 

^  Monk's  Life  of  Bentley,  \,  150. 


28  INTRODUCTION 

coming  a  Head;  while  another  Master,  because  he 
lacked  sufficient  seniority,  might  have  to  wait  several 
years  before  he  was  called  upon  to  serve  as  Vice-Chan- 
cellor.  Dr  John  Sumner,  Provost  of  King's,  for  instance, 
became  Provost  and  Vice-Chancellor  in  the  same  year, 
1756,  because  he  happened  to  be  a  doctor  of  divinity; 
while  Sir  James  Burrough,  who  was  only  a  master  of 
arts,  was  not  elected  Vice-Chancellor  until  he  had  been 
Master  of  Caius  for  five  years.  It  is  obvious  that  such  a 
system  placed  a  premium  upon  inexperience  and  might 
easily  have  militated  against  the  efficient  administration 
of  business,  especially  as  it  was  against  the  custom  of 
the  university,  though  not  forbidden  by  the  statutes,  for 
a  Vice-Chancellor  to  continue  in  office  for  longer  than 
a  year.  The  danger  of  inefficient  administration  how- 
ever was  less  than  it  appears,  as  it  was  usual  for  a 
Vice-Chancellor,  in  the  discharge  of  his  administrative 
duties,  to  consult  the  other  Heads  of  Houses;  and 
though  he  does  not  seem  to  have  been  compelled  to 
seek  or  take  their  advice,  the  tradition  that  he  should 
do  so  was  well  established  and  faithfully  observed.  A 
Vice-Chancellor,  new  to  his  duties  and  unversed  in 
university  business,  would  be  ready  enough  to  take  the 
opinion  of  a  body  which  included  several  of  his  pre- 
decessors in  office;  and  it  is  probable  that  the  system  of 
rotation,  however  unsound  in  theory,  was  not  pro- 
ductive in  practice  of  any  serious  inconvenience.  There 
is  certainly  plenty  of  evidence  that  the  Heads  played  a 
very  active  part  in  administration.  In  a  letter  written 
on  January  20th,  1756,  the  Master  of  Peterhouse,  then 
Vice-Chancellor,  informed  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  that 
he  had  summoned  a  meeting  of  the  Heads  to  devise  a 
way  of  breaking  up  a  combination  of  'ingrossers  and 
forestallers^,'  and  the  sort  of  business  dealt  with  at 
these  meetings  is  well  illustrated  by  a  letter  written  by 
1  Add.  MS.  32862,  f.  163. 


INTRODUCTION  29 

Dr  Caryl,  Master  of  Jesus,  when  Vice-Chancellor,  to 
Newcastle. 

'Yesterday'  he  wrote  on  December  5th,  1758  'I  desired  a 
meeting  of  the  Heads.  The  matters,  which  I  had  to  propose  to 
their  consideration,  were  (i)  how  to  recover  some  rent  that 
seemed  to  be  in  danger  of  being  lost,  upon  which  we  agreed  to 
take  advice;  (2)  the  obligation  which  I  apprehended  we  were 
under  to  the  Solicitor-General  for  the  great  pains  that  he  has 
taken  in  defending  our  printing  of  law-books,  upon  which  I  was 
directed  to  write  him  a  letter  of  thanks  in  the  name  of  myself 
and  the  Heads;  (3)  the  prosecution  of  a  surgeon  for  steaHng  the 
body  of  a  person,  who  died  of  a  malignant  sort  of  the  small-pox, 
and  conveying  it  through  the  most  public  street  of  the  town; 
...(4)  the  case  of  the  peddHng  Jews  who  do  much  mischief  by 
exchanging  their  trinkets  with  young  scholars  for  books,  clothes 
or  anything  they  can  lay  their  hands  on^.' 

In  another  letter  Dr  Caryl  mentions  having  called  a 
meeting  of  the  Heads  in  order  to  take  their  opinion 
upon  some  matters  which  '  I  was  unwilling  to  transact 
upon  my  own  judgment  solely^';  and  apparently  all 
business,  save  possibly  the  purest  routine,  was  discussed 
at  these  meetings.  The  Heads,  in  consultation  with  the 
Vice-Chancellor,  settled  the  details  of  Newcastle's  in- 
stallation as  Chancellor^  and  all  university  addresses 
were  submitted  to  them  before  being  brought  before 
the  Senate. 

The  influence  of  the  Heads  was  not  confined  to  the 
administrative  sphere;  for  they  were  entitled  by  the 
statutes  to  assist  the  Vice-Chancellor  in  the  discharge 
of  his  judicial  functions.  He  could  neither  expel  a 
student  nor  imprison  a  doctor  or  Head  of  a  House 
without  the  concurrence  of  the  majority  of  the  Heads 
who  also  acted  as  his  advisers  and  assessors  in  all  matters 
affecting  the  conduct  and  discipline  of  the  scholars*. 

1  Add.  MS.  32886,  f.  173.  2  Add.  MS.  32889,  f.  215. 

3  Add.  MS.  32718,  f.  226. 

^  Peacock's  Observations  on  the  Statutes  of  the  University,  p.  46. 


30  INTRODUCTION 

The  same  oligarchical  tendency  is  noticeable  in  the 
machinery  of  legislation.  Before  a  Grace  could  be  sub- 
mitted to  the  Senate  for  approval  or  rejection  it  had  to 
be  unanimously  approved  by  a  small  committee  of  that 
body,  known  as  the  Caput  and  consisting  of  the  Vice- 
Chancellor,  sitting  ex  officio,  three  doctors  representing 
respectively  the  faculties  of  divinity,  medicine  and  law, 
a  regent  master  of  arts  and  a  non-regent  master  of 
arts.  A  single  member  of  the  Caput  had  the  right  of 
vetoing  a  Grace,  and  this  power  of  obstruction  was 
the  less  defensible  as  belonging  to  a  non-representa- 
tive body.  Though  the  Caput  was  annually  elected, 
only  Heads  of  Houses,  doctors  and  the  two  Scrutators 
were  entitled  to  vote;  and,  restricted  as  were  the 
electors,  they  were  not  even  allowed  an  unfettered 
choice.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Michaelmas  term, 
which  was  the  date  appointed  for  the  election  of 
the  Caput,  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  the  two  Proctors 
presented  separate  lists,  each  containing  the  names  of 
three  doctors  in  the  different  faculties,  a  regent  and  a 
non-regent,  and  the  choice  of  the  electors  was  con- 
fined to  the  fifteen  persons  thus  named.  Further  re- 
strictions were  imposed  by  custom.  *  Much  depends  in 
the  election  of  a  Caput  on  the  prospect  of  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  for  the  ensuing  year^,'  wrote  the  Master  of 
Corpus  in  1764,  'as  by  the  usage  of  the  university  one 
is  always  of  his  own  college  and  the  rest  usually  such 
as  are  not  thought  disagreeable  to  him^';  and  according 
to  another  authority  it  was  customary  to  vote  for  those 
whose  names  appeared  on  the  Vice-Chancellor's  list^. 

The  Caput  could  only  claim  to  represent  the  more 
senior  members  of  the  university  who  thus  indirectly 

1  The  Caput  was  elected  in  October  and  the  Vice-Chancellor  in 
November. 

2  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  158. 

^  Add.  MS.  35628,  f.  20;  Peacock's  Observations,  p.  47,  n.  2. 


INTRODUCTION  31 

possessed  a  veto  upon  all  legislation.  On  a  Grace  being 
brought  before  the  university  assembled  in  congrega- 
tion, the  Vice-Chancellor  called  the  Caput  together  to 
pass  or  reject  it^;  and,  in  the  event  of  any  member  of 
this  body  being  absent,  his  place  was  taken  by  the 
senior  person  present  in  the  same  faculty.  If  unani- 
mously approved  by  the  Caput,  the  Grace  would  be 
read  for  the  first  time  in  the  two  houses  of  regents 
and  non-regents  into  which  the  Senate  was  divided; 
but  in  neither  house  would  a  vote  be  taken.  If  the 
Grace  was  at  all  controversial,  it  was  usual  to  circulate 
copies  of  it  among  the  colleges  after  the  first  reading 
in  the  Senate,  and  there  was  therefore  generally  an 
interval  of  a  few  days  between  the  first  and  the  second 
congregation^.  At  the  second  congregation  the  Grace 
was  first  voted  upon  in  the  non-regents'  house,  the  votes 
being  counted  by  the  two  Scrutators. 

The  Scrutators  went  both  together  and  each  of  them  marked 
the  placet  or  non-placet  of  each  voter  who  stood  up  when  he 
gave  it.  At  the  end  of  each  row  they  compared  their  papers  and 
so  went  on  from  row  to  row... till  they  had  gone  through  the 
whole^. 

If  passed  by  the  non-regents,  the  Grace  would  then 
be  voted  upon  in  the  regents'  house  where  exactly  the 
same  procedure  was  adopted  except  that  the  two  Proc- 
tors acted  as  tellers. 

The  division  of  the  Senate  into  two  houses  gave  a 
decided  advantage  to  age.  Every  master  of  arts,  who 
had  kept  his  name  on  the  books  of  some  college,  was 
a  regent  during  the  first  five  years  from  his  creation 
after  which  he  became  a  non-regent;  but  doctors  were 

^  The  Vice-Chancellor  could  decline  to  summon  the  Caput,  but  this 
right  was  only  exercised  in  very  exceptional  circumstances. 

2  Add.  MS.  35628,  f.  186.  Both  congregations  could  be  held  on  the 
same  day,  but  this  was  unusual. 

3  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  147,  f.  148. 


32  INTRODUCTION 

able  to  sit  and  vote  in  either  house  except  within  two 
years  of  taking  that  degree  when  they  sat  in  the  regents' 
house^.  It  is  obvious  that  the  regents  were  at  a  double 
disadvantage.  A  Grace,  which  they  approved,  might  be 
rejected  by  the  non-regents  before  it  reached  them, 
and  their  opposition  to  a  Grace,  which  they  disap- 
proved, might  be  overcome  by  flooding  their  house  with 
doctors.  But  though  age  was  at  the  helm  it  possibly 
was  not  able  to  use  to  the  full  the  advantage  it  possessed. 
However  strongly  he  might  disapprove  of  a  particular 
measure,  a  single  member  of  the  Caput  probably  hesi- 
tated to  exercise  his  right  of  veto,  and  even  if  all  the 
members  of  the  Caput  agreed  in  disapproving  a  Grace 
they  would  be  slow  to  reject  it  if  it  was  supported  by  a 
considerable  body  of  opinion  in  the  university.  The 
Caput,  indeed,  suffered  from  the  defects  of  its  origin, 
and  if  it  had  been  more  representative  it  could  have 
made  a  more  liberal  use  of  its  autocratic  power.  It  is 
also  easy  to  exaggerate  the  importance  of  the  fluidity 
of  doctors.  The  game  of  distributing  the  doctors  be- 
tween the  two  houses,  so  as  to  secure  a  majority  in 
both,  was  often  played  by  university  politicians;  but  it 
was  a  perilous  enterprise,  demanding  a  nice  calculation 
of  forces  and  might  easily  end  in  disaster.  Nor  is  it 
likely  that  the  doctors  were  ever  sufficiently  numerous 
or  unanimous  to  be  used  to  overcome  a  really  formid- 
able majority,  and  they  were  probably  of  the  greatest 
assistance  when  the  two  houses  were  fairly  equally 
divided. 

Nevertheless,  when  all  reservations  have  been  made, 
the  fact  remains  that  the  balance  of  power  was  with  the 
more  senior  members  of  the  university.  Our  modern 
creed  that  youth  is  wise  and  age  foolish  was  not  accepted 

1  Add.  MS.  33061,  f.  261.  The  Chancellor,  the  Vice-Chancellor, 
the  Proctors,  the  Taxors,  the  Moderators,  the  Esquire  Bedells,  provided 
they  were  masters  of  arts,  also  sat  in  the  regents'  house. 


INTRODUCTION  33 

in  the  eighteenth  century  which  regarded  juvenile  in- 
temperance as  a  greater  danger  than  senile  caution,  and 
it  was  not  thought  a  demerit  in  the  constitution  of  the 
university  to  be  an  obstacle  in  the  path  of  the  reformer. 
But  the  age  of  reform  had  hardly  begun  to  dawn,  and 
it  is  foolish  to  assume  that  because  a  system  of  govern- 
ment was  unsuited  to  the  needs  and  requirements  of 
the  nineteenth  century,  it  could  never  have  served  an 
useful  purpose.  And  the  same  may  be  said  of  the  uni- 
versity as  a  whole  in  the  eighteenth  century.  Regarded 
from  our  point  of  view  and  judged  by  our  standards  it 
stands  condemned;  but,  though  possibly  no  better,  it 
was  at  least  no  worse  than  its  age.  If  it  was  lacking  in 
idealism  and  self-sacrifice,  if  it  sinned  by  self-indulgence 
and  comfortable  acquiescence  in  traditional  abuses,  it 
only  faithfully  reflected  the  contemporary  code  of 
morality,  and  much  of  the  censure  it  has  incurred  should 
in  fairness  be  given  to  the  century. 


CHAPTER  II 
THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

THE  internal  affairs  of  the  university  in  the  eigh- 
teenth century  cannot  be  fully  understood  without 
a  knowledge  of  contemporary  politics;  for  the  academic 
and  parliamentary  worlds  were  closely  connected  and 
party  divisions  at  Cambridge  more  or  less  corresponded 
with  those  at  Westminster.  Such  a  connection  was 
almost  inevitable  as  long  as  the  power  of  a  statesman 
depended  to  a  great  extent  upon  the  amount  of  patron- 
age at  his  disposal.  It  is  not  surprising  that  the  average 
Cambridge  'don'  was  keenly  desirous  to  be  on  the 
winning  side  in  politics,  for  unless  he  was  skilled  in 
seeing  which  way  the  political  wind  was  likely  to  blow 
and  steering  his  course  accordingly,  he  had  little  chance 
of  obtaining  the  preferment  he  coveted;  and  it  is  as 
little  surprising  that  politicians  sought  to  enlarge  the 
number  of  their  followers  by  establishing  a  connection 
with  the  university  which  would  enable  them  to 
influence  the  disposal  of  academic  posts.  Doubtless  the 
prizes  of  university  life  were  small  and  mean  in  com- 
parison with  the  rich  sinecures  for  which  venal  poli- 
ticians competed;  but  eighteenth  century  statesmen 
were  not  particular  in  their  methods  of  accumulating 
patronage.  And  as  the  obvious  way  of  establishing  an 
influence  in  the  university  was  by  becoming  its  Chan- 
cellor, eminent  statesmen  were  frequently  eager  com- 
petitors for  that  office  and  for  the  office  of  High  Steward 
which  was  regarded  as  a  stepping  stone  to  the  Chan- 
cellorship. Consequentlv,  when  either  of  these  places 
fell  vacant,  the  parliamentary  contest  was  apt  to  be 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      35 

extended  to  Cambridge  and  academic  peace  to  be 
rudely  disturbed  by  the  clash  of  rival  political  parties. 
Thus  university  and  national  politics  were  closely  con- 
nected; and  neither  the  nation  nor  the  university  pro- 
fited. The  higher  interests  of  the  university  were  not 
advanced  by  its  Chancellor  being  a  politician  who  would 
be  tempted  to  be  principally  interested  in  extending 
the  influence  of  his  party,  and  no  advantage  accrued  to 
the  nation  from  an  increase  of  the  means  of  bribery  and 
corruption  at  the  disposal  of  statesmen. 

The  connection  was  certainly  unfortunate  and  the 
responsibility  for  it  partly  rests  upon  that  master 
in  the  art  of  corruption,  Thomas  Pelham-Holles, 
Duke  of  Newcastle.  Until  comparatively  lately  New- 
castle has  been  usually  depicted  as  an  industrious  non- 
entity whose  only  weapon  was  treachery;  but  a  more 
complete  analysis  is  needed  to  explain  the  fact  that  this 
seemingly  contemptible  person  proved  more  than  a 
match  for  many  of  the  ablest  politicians  of  his  time, 
and,  from  the  fall  of  Sir  Robert  Walpole  until  the  death 
of  George  II,  exercised  a  parliamentary  influence  which 
made  his  support  indispensable  to  any  administration. 
The  secret  of  his  success  is  not  difficult  to  discover. 
Undistinguished  as  an  orator,  inefficient  as  an  admin- 
istrator, and  deplorably  deficient  in  all  the  higher  arts 
of  statesmanship,  he  triumphed  by  uniting  a  sincere 
and  entirely  disinterested  passion  for  public  life  with  a 
frank  and  cynical  appreciation  of  the  politics  of  his 
age^.  Understanding  that  bribery  and  corruption  were 

^  Newcastle  was  as  financially  disinterested  as  the  elder  Pitt,  though 
he  paraded  his  virtue  less.  He  refused  a  pension  when  he  resigned 
office  in  1762,  though  he  had  materially  reduced  his  own  fortune  in 
the  service  of  the  state;  and  he  seems  to  have  always  been  quite  indifferent 
to  money.  In  1723  he  refused  a  gift  out  of  the  secret  service  fund, 
offered  him  by  Lord  Townshend  to  meet  financial  difficulties  caused 
by  'services  to  the  Government' ;  and  in  a  letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Chichester 
he  explains  his  refusal.  'You  know'  he  wrote  'the  great  backwardness 


30      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

the  acknowledged  weapons  of  politicians,  he  took  full 
advantage  of  his  position  as  a  servant  of  the  crown  and 
used  the  vast  resources  of  the  royal  patronage  to  win 
and  maintain  a  personal  following  in  parliament  which 
made  him  independent  of  the  favour  of  the  king  and 
the  confidence  of  the  country.  He  bestowed  places  in 
church  and  state  with  a  lavish  though  discriminating 
hand,  and  became  a  power  in  the  land  by  playing  upon 
the  weakness  of  his  fellow  creatures. 

The  work  was  disgusting  but  the  workman  was  not 
disgusted,  and  Newcastle  consistently  laboured  to  in- 
crease the  patronage  at  his  disposal.  Consequently, 
when  on  the  death  of  the  Earl  of  Anglesey  in  1737  he 
came  forward  as  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  High 
Steward  of  the  university,  it  is  unlikely  that  he  was  only 
influenced  by  a  sentimental  attachment  to  his  Alma 
Mater.  He  undoubtedly  had  a  very  genuine  affection 
for  Cambridge,  but  he  was,  first  and  foremost,  a  poli- 
tician, and  it  v/as  as  a  politician  that  he  was  anxious  to 
establish  an  official  connection  with  the  university.  He 
hoped  by  becoming  High  Steward  to  establish  a  claim 
to  succeed  the  Duke  of  Somerset  as  Chancellor  of  the 
university;  and  as  Somerset  was  in  his  seventy-fifth 
year,  Newcastle  might  reasonably  expect  that  he  would 
not  have  to  wait  long  for  the  highest  honour  that  the 
university  could  confer.  But  it  was  power  as  well  as 
honour  that  he  sought.  He  desired  the  Chancellorship 
in  order  that  he  might  establish  an  unchallenged  influ- 
ence in  Cambridge,  hoping  to  further  the  interests  of 
his  party  and  the  whig  cause,  and  to  teach  the  members 
of  the  university  that  political  orthodoxy  was  more 
likely  to  lead  to  advancement  than  a  reputation  for 
learning. 

I  have  always  had  to  ask  or  receive  any  sums  of  money  from  the  king, 
how  I  detest  it  in  others,  and  consequently  how  unwilling  I  should  be  to 
do  the  like  myself.' 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      37 

There  is  no  reason  however  to  think  that  when  in 
1737  Newcastle  appeared  as  a  candidate  for  the  office 
of  High  Steward,  the  university  reaHsed  that  it  was 
being  asked  to  place  itself  under  the  control  of  the 
greatest  living  exponent  of  the  art  of  jobbery.  Though 
Newcastle  had  been  Secretary  of  State  for  thirteen 
years,  he  was  overshadowed  in  the  cabinet  and  the 
country  by  the  Prime  Minister,  Sir  Robert  Walpole; 
and  it  was  not  until  Walpole's  fall  from  office,  five  years 
later,  that  his  power  became  apparent.  It  was  moreover 
natural  and  in  the  order  of  things  that  an  university, 
which  was  predominantly,  though  not  exclusively, 
whig,  should  desire  to  confer  a  distinction  upon  a 
prominent  whig  minister  who  was  also  a  Cambridge 
man;  and  there  does  not  seem  to  have  been  any  serious 
opposition  to  the  Duke's  candidature.  But  as  the  High 
Steward  was  appointed  by  Grace  of  the  Senate,  it  was 
necessary  to  ensure  a  safe  passage  for  the  Grace  through 
the  Caput  where  a  single  negative  vote  would  be  fatal, 
and  this  was  not  achieved  without  careful  preliminary 
preparation. 

'I  also  beg  leave  upon  this  occasion'  wrote  in  1751  Peter 
Goddard,  Fellow  and  afterwards  Master  of  Clare  'to  inform 
your  Grace  that  when  you  was  chose  High  Steward  of  the 
university,  I  was  the  person  who  was  principally,  if  not  solely, 
employed  by  the  present  worthy  Master  of  Clare  HalF,  to 
concert  the  proper  methods  and  precautions  to  prevent  a  defeat; 
and  particularly  that  it  was  owing  to  my  applications  and  soUici- 
tations  that  a  proper  Caput  was  procured  the  day  that  the  Grace 
was  proposed;  otherwise  it  would  very  probably  have  been 
stopped  in  the  first  instance,  such  was  then  the  state  and  temper 
of  the  university^.' 

As  Goddard  coupled  with  this  reminder  of  his  ser- 
vices a  request  for  ecclesiastical  preferment,  he  possibly 

^  Dr  Wilcox  who  was  the  Vice-Chancellor  when  Newcastle  was 
appointed  High  Steward. 
2  Add.  MS.  32725,  f.  382. 


38      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

exaggerated  the  danger  of  disaster  and  the  greatness  of 
his  achievement;  and  his  testimony  is  therefore  not 
above  suspicion.  There  were  probably  however  a  cer- 
tain number  of  tories  in  the  university  who  would  not 
be  indisposed  to  prevent  the  election  of  a  leading  whig 
statesman;  but  as  we  hear  nothing  of  their  activities  it 
may  safely  be  concluded  that  they  did  not  on  this 
occasion  constitute  a  serious  menace.  But  if  Newcastle 
thought  that  by  becoming  High  Steward  he  had  made 
sure  of  becoming  Chancellor  within  a  few  years  and 
without  opposition,  he  was  doomed  to  disappointment. 
In  1747  the  Duke  of  Somerset  was  still  alive,  and, 
though  his  death  could  not  be  far  distant,  it  was  by  no 
means  certain  that  Newcastle  would  be  permitted  to 
succeed  him.  A  rumour  began  to  spread  in  Cambridge 
that  Frederick,  Prince  of  Wales,  intended  to  stand  for 
election  as  Chancellor  on  Somerset's  death;  and  when 
Dr  Richardson,  the  tory  Master  of  Emmanuel,  re- 
turned to  Cambridge  from  London  in  February  1747, 
he  informed  the  Vice-Chancellor  that  during  his  stay 
in  London  he  had  been  introduced  to  the  Prince  who, 

after  professing  great  regard  to  the  university  of  Cambridge, 
said  he  should  take  it  as  a  favour  and  honour  to  stand  in  a  nearer 
relation  to  it  whenever  a  vacancy... should  happen^. 

The  Prince  was  likely  to  prove  a  dangerous  com- 
petitor. Having  quarrelled  with  his  father  in  accordance 
with  the  family  tradition,  he  had  gone  into  political 
opposition  and  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  a  faction 
which  was  nicknamed  the  'Leicester  house  party,'  and 
recruited  from  whigs  who  had  a  grievance  against  the 
government,  and  tories  who  were  prepared  to  com- 
promise so  far  with  their  principles  as  to  support  a 
Hanoverian  prince  against  a  Hanoverian  king.  Thus  it 
was  as  the  leader  of  a  parliamentary  party  that  he  came 

1  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.i. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      39 

forward  as  a  candidate  for  the  Chancellorship,  and,  if 
he  succeeded  in  his  venture,  the  prestige  of  the  ministry, 
of  which  Newcastle  was  now  the  most  influential  mem- 
ber, would  be  seriously  shaken.  The  Prince's  success 
moreover  was  not  at  all  improbable.  There  was  no 
reason  to  anticipate  that  he  would  not  survive  the  King; 
and  cautious  members  of  the  Senate  were  certain  to 
reflect  upon  the  wisdom  of  neglecting  the  father  and 
paying  homage  to  the  son.  No  disloyalty  to  the  whig 
cause  and  the  Hanoverian  succession  was  involved  in 
supporting  him,  and  much  might  be  thereby  gained; 
and,  if  the  university  had  been  left  to  its  own  unguided 
instincts,  the  royal  candidate  could  have  counted  upon 
a  substantial  following.  Indeed  Dr  Rooke,  Master  of 
Christ's,  who  was  one  of  Newcastle's  most  enthusiastic 
supporters,  was  seriously  alarmed  at  the  outlook;  and, 
though  he  admitted  that  some  of  his  'brethren  are 
extremely  clear  that  the  generality  of  the  place  will  by 
no  means  come  into  it,'  he  confessed  to  an  inability  to 
share  their  optimism. 

'I  well  know'  he  wrote  'that  the  Masters  of  Trinity  and  St 
John's  are  too  sanguine  in  their  calculations  (the  latter  of  whom 
has  occasioned  great  matter  of  merriment  by  closetting  his 
Fellows  and  being  just  as  wise  as  he  was  about  their  sentiments 
after  it).  The  corps  of  old  Jones,  though  not  large,  is  not  despic- 
able. The  young  men  are  apt  to  run  riot^.' 

The  Master  of  Christ's  apprehensions  were  shared 
by  Newcastle,  and  there  was  ground  for  alarm.  Quite 
apart  from  the  advantage  enjoyed  by  the  Prince  as  the 
heir  to  the  throne,  there  was  a  danger  of  it  being  com- 
monly assumed  that  his  candidature  had  the  approval 
of  his  father,  and  that  therefore  it  should  receive  the 
support  of  all  loyal  subjects.  Doubtless  such  a  mistake 
was  not  likely  to  be  made  by  those  behind  the  political 
scene,  but  it  might  easily  prevail  in  the  university  and 
1  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.i. 


40      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

contribute  to  the  Prince's  triumph.  Consequently  New- 
castle decided  to  convince  the  members  of  the  Senate 
that  they  could  not  vote  for  the  Prince  without  running 
counter  to  the  King's  wishes.  In  May  1747  Edmund 
Castle,  Master  of  Corpus  and  Vice-Chancellor,  was 
summoned  to  appear  before  a  meeting  of  the  Privy 
Council  at  which  the  Lord  Chancellor  Hardwicke  read 
out  a  formal  statement  that 

the  King  having  been  informed  that  application  has  been  made 
in  the  university  of  Cambridge  for  the  election  of  His  Royal 
Highness,  the  Prince  of  Wales,  to  be  their  Chancellor  in  case  of 
a  vacancy,  we  are  commissioned  by  His  Majesty  to  acquaint  you 
that  the  said  application  was  without  his  consent  and  privity; 
and  that  though  His  Majesty  does  by  no  means  intend  to  inter- 
fere in  their  election,  yet  he  is  persuaded  from  the  regard  and 
affection  which  he  has  always  shewed  for  the  university,  and 
from  their  duty  to  him,  that  they  will  not  choose  any  one  of  his 
family  for  their  Chancellor  without  his  approbation^. 

After  reading  this  declaration  the  Lord  Chancellor  gave 
a  copy  of  it  to  the  Vice-Chancellor,  and  at  the  same  time 
informed  him  that 

he  was  not  to  communicate  the  said  paper  to  the  university 
assembled  in  congregation  nor  to  any  publick  meeting  of  the 
Heads;  but  privately  to  as  many  persons  as  he  pleased,  not 
suffering  anybody  to  take  a  copy  of  it.  That  he  was  particularly 
to  insist  upon  that  clause  that  His  Majesty  has  no  intention  to 
interfere  in  the  election^. 

The  language  of  this  royal  message  was  commend- 
ably  free  from  ambiguity;  and,  in  order  to  insure  that 
the  university  fully  understood  the  situation,  New- 
castle's fellow  Secretary  of  State,  Lord  Chesterfield, 
instructed  the  Master  of  Caius^  in  the  King's  name  'to 
signify  to  the  university  of  Cambridge  that  His  Majesty 
did  not  approve  of  their  choosing  either  of  his  sons 

1  Add.  MS.  33061,  f.  211.  2  /^dd.  MS.  5852,  f.  114. 

^  Sir  Thomas  Gooch,  Bishop  of  Ely. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      41 

Chancellor  of  the  university^.'  The  Vice-Chancellor 
and  the  Master  of  Caius  circulated  the  information  they 
had  received,  thus  putting  a  speedy  end  to  the  legend 
that  the  King  favoured  his  son  rather  than  his  minister; 
and,  as  only  a  minority  would  be  prepared  to  cut  them- 
selves off  from  all  hope  of  preferment  by  defying  the 
wishes  of  the  sovereign  and  the  government,  it  is  prob- 
able that  if  the  Duke  of  Somerset  had  died  about  this 
time,  Newcastle  would  have  met  with  little  or  no 
opposition.  But  the  octogenarian  Chancellor  continued 
to  live,  and  in  time  the  impression  produced  by  the 
royal  announcement  faded  away,  and  the  Cambridge 
supporters  of  the  Prince  began  to  show  signs  of  renewed 
activity.  The  rumour  was  spread  that  the  King  had 
changed  his  mind  and  was  now  willing  for  his  son  to 
become  Chancellor^;  and  when  in  July  1748  it  was 
reported  that  Somerset  was  dying,  an  informal  canvass 
on  behalf  of  the  Prince  was  begun  at  Cambridge  by 
the  Master  of  Emmanuel  and  Thomas  Rutherforth, 
Fellow  and  Tutor  of  St  John's^. 

Unfortunately  Newcastle  was  in  Germany  with  the 
King;  and  the  task  of  fighting  his  battle  at  Cambridge 
devolved  upon  his  colleagues  in  the  cabinet,  and  in 
particular  upon  his  brother,  Henry  Pelham,  the  First 
Lord  of  the  Treasury,  and  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  who 
had  succeeded  Chesterfield  as  Secretary  of  State.  One 
alarming  feature  of  the  situation  was  that  Dr  Parris, 
Master  of  Sidney,  was  supposed  to  sympathise  with 
the  Prince  of  Wales'  party;  for  Dr  Parris  was  Vice- 
Chancellor  and  in  this  capacity  could  exercise  consider- 
able influence  in  the  event  of  an  election.  By  the 
statutes  of  the  university  a  Chancellor  had  to  be  elected 
within  fourteen  days  of  the  declaration  of  a  vacancy; 
but  the  Vice-Chancellor,  with  whom  it  rested  to  deter- 

1  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  114.  2  Add.  MS.  32715,  f.  426. 

3  Add.  MS.  32715,  f.  428. 


42      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

mine  the  date  of  the  election,  was  free  to  abbreviate  the 
prescribed  period;  and  it  was  feared  that  Dr  Parris 
might  act  as  a  partisan  and  name  a  day  too  early  to 
allow  Newcastle's  supporters  to  rally  to  the  fray.  As  it 
was  the  dead  season  of  the  academic  year  many  residents 
were  absent  from  the  university;  and,  though  the 
Prince's  supporters  were  probably  numerically  insig- 
nificant, it  was  feared  that  they  might  prevail  by  being 
on  the  spot. 

The  occasion  was  critical,  for  Somerset  might  die  at 
any  moment;  and  the  cabinet  rose  to  the  emergency. 
Instructed  by  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  who  had  sent  his 
commands  through  a  certain  Mr  Butcher  of  Peter- 
borough, William  Hetherington,  the  Rector  of  Dry- 
Drayton^,  came  over  to  Cambridge  on  the  morning  of 
Saturday  July  i6th,  and  waited  upon  the  Vice-Chan- 
cellor. 

'I  acquainted  him'  he  informed  the  Duke  of  Bedford  'that 
I  had  received  a  message  from  your  Grace  by  a  special  messenger, 
wherein  you  are  pleased  to  order  me  to  take  some  opportunity 
of  assuring  him  in  your  name  "that  His  Majesty  had  not  altered 
his  mind  since  he  sent  a  message  to  the  last  Vice-Chancellor  in 
relation  to  the  choice  of  a  Chancellor  of  the  university  upon  a 
vacancy;  and  that  it  w^ould  be  disagreeable  to  his  Majesty  to 
have  any  of  his  family  elected  w^ithout  his  consent  and  approba- 
tion." I  likewise  added  that,  as  fourteen  days  were  allowed  by 
statute,  it  was  hoped  a  sufficient  time  would  be  given  that  the 
election  might  be  the  more  publick  and  general.  The  Vice- 
Chancellor  asked  me  if  I  expected  a  particular  answer  to  this 
message:  I  told  him,  no,  I  could  not  say  I  did;  but  only  left  it 
with  him  to  consider  of^o' 

After  his  interview  with  the  Vice-Chancellor,  Hether- 
ington communicated  his  message  to  several  Heads  of 
Houses^;  but  if  his  embassy  was  intended  to  force  the 

^  A  village  about  five  miles  from  Cambridge. 
2  Add.  MS.  32715,  f.  426.  3  /^,v. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      43 

Vice-Chancellor  to  show  his  hand,  it  must  be  counted 
to  have  failed. 

'  After  you  called  on  me  yesterday '  wrote  Dr  Parris  to  Hether- 
ington  on  July  17th  'with  a  message  from  his  Grace,  the  Duke 
of  Bedford,  I  had  certain  intelligence  that  the  Lords  of  the 
Regency  had  been  informed  that  Dr  Richardson,  Taylor, 
Rutherforth  and  the  Vice-Chancellor  had  begun  a  stir  here  in 
favour  of  the  P — ;  and  that  the  Vice-Chancellor,  to  further  the 
design,  had  engaged  to  bring  on  the  election  immediately.  This 
is  utterly  false  as  far  as  it  concerns  me,  and  without  any  other 
foundation  than  that,  as  I  have  no  particular  attachments  to  either 
side,  I  have  not  been  forward  to  make  any  declarations  in  a  matter 
of  great  niceness,-  and  when  I  perceived  others,  who  had  greater 
reason  to  be  more  zealous,  expressed  themselves  with  caution^.' 

The  Vice-Chancellor  was  studiously  vague  with  re- 
gard to  his  intentions;  and,  though  Hetherington  be- 
lieved that  he  was  really  trying  to  be  impartial  and 
would  'act  a  very  fair  part  in  his  public  capacity'^,'  the 
situation  was  too  critical  to  justify  incurring  any  risks. 
Consequently  those  of  Newcastle's  friends,  who  were 
not  too  far  away,  were  summoned  to  Cambridge  or  the 
neighbourhood^;  a  party  of  voters  was  collected  at 
Peterborough,  ready  to  descend  upon  Cambridge*;  and 
a  'stout  body  of  fifty  good  men  and  true'  was  gathered 
together  in  London^.  Moreover  Lord  Dupplin^,  who 

1  Add.  MS.  32715,  f.  428. 

2  Add.  MS.  3271  5,  f.  434;  see  also  f.  430. 

3  Add.  MS.  32715,  f.  434.  ^  Add.  MS.  32715,  f.  430. 
5  Add.  MS.  32715,  f.  463. 

^  Lord  Dupplin  was  the  eldest  son  of  the  Earl  of  Kinnoull  and  one 
of  Newcastle's  staunchest  supporters.  On  his  father's  death  in  1758  he 
succeeded  to  the  Earldom  of  Kinnoull,  and,  after  Newcastle  resigned 
office  in  1762,  abandoned  political  life.  The  Duke  was  aggrieved  by 
Kinnoull's  retirement  from  the  parliamentary  contest;  and  among  the 
Newcastle  papers  is  a  copy  of  the  following  verses,  dated  14th  July 
1763,  and  endorsed  'by  a  gentleman's  servant.' 

'Banish  this  picture.  Mollis,  from  thy  view. 
For  Dupplin  from  his  heart  has  banished  you. 


44      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

represented  in  parliament  the  borough  of  Cambridge, 
worked  for  Newcastle  with  unflagging  zeal:  'he  has 
been  '  wrote  the  Duke's  brother,  Henry  Pelham, 

a  most  useful  and  active  agent  in  the  university  affair,  as  indeed 
all  your  friends  have  been,  particularly  Mr  Townshend^, 
Harding,  Hall,  Squire  and  one  or  two  more  Etonians;  the  West- 
minster people,  and  particularly  a  clerk  in  the  Duke  of  Bedford's 
office,  whose  name  I  have  forgot  but  I  know  he  is  a  West- 
minster, have  been  very  active  also.  In  Cambridge  the  Provost 
of  King's,  Masters  of  St  John's  and  Trinity,  together  with  our 
old  friend,  the  Bishop  of  Ely^,  have  stirred  most  notably^. 

For  a  few  days  Cambridge,  aroused  from  its  long 
vacation  sleep,  presented  an  extremely  animated  scene. 
Those  Heads  of  Houses,  who  were  absent  from  the 
university,  returned  in  a  hurry,  and  we  are  told  that 
'all  diligence  was  used  in  applying  to  the  residents  and 
calling  in  the  absent  voters*.'  Nor  was  this  activity 
without  fruit.  Though,  on  the  alarm  first  being  given. 
Butcher  was  despondent^  and  the  Master  of  Christ's 
by  no  means  sanguine^,  the  situation  was  completely 
changed  in  a  few  days.  On  July  2ist  the  Master  of 
Christ's  wrote  jubilantly  that  '  by  this  time  that  majority 
is  now  near  two  to  one,  and  I  dare  say  in  a  very  few 

As  Mansfield  false,  he  can  in  candour  find 
Pretence  to  quit  his  friend  with  quiet  mind. 
Retreats  through  moderation  and  good  sense, 
His  freind  and  party  leaves  to  Providence 
The  faithless  Jews  their  King  and  Saviour  sold 
The  Scots,  too,  bartered  a  Scot  King  for  gold 
Scotsmen  and  Jews  in  interest  are  the  same 
And  both  are  damned  to  everlasting  fame.' 
Add.  MS.  32949,  f.  347. 

1  Thomas  Townshend  was  a  son  of  the  second  Lord  Townshend 
and  represented  the  university  in  parliament  from  1727  to  1774. 

2  The  Master  of  Caius. 

^  Add.  MS.  32715,  f.  438;  see  also  f.  412. 

4  Add.  MS.  32715,  f  463.  5  Add.  MS.  32715,  f.  430. 

6  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  3. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      45 

days  will  be  three  to  one^';  and  the  same  tale  is  told  by 
Lord  Dupplin. 

'  Many  gentlemen  from  distant  parts '  he  informed  Newcastle 
'upon  the  first  notice  came  to  their  colleges;  so  that  it  soon 
appeared  that  there  was  in  the  university  and  within  call  such  a 
majority  of  electors,  who  were  determined  to  obey  His  Majesty's 
commands,  as,  if  the  vacancy  had  happened,  would  have  done 
no  discredit  to  the  loyalty  of  that  body^.' 

The  zeal  displayed  on  this  occasion  was  not  entirely 
disinterested,  and  was  doubtless  in  many  cases  inspired 
by  the  hope  of  establishing  a  claim  upon  the  gratitude 
of  Newcastle  and  the  government.  A  certain  Edward 
Birkbeck,  who  was  a  Fellow  of  St  John's  and  chaplain 
to  the  Prince  of  Wales,  promised  the  Master  of  his 
college  to  come  to  Cambridge  to  vote  for  Newcastle, 
though,  as  he  was  in  Yorkshire  at  the  time  and  con- 
nected with  the  Prince,  he  might  easily  have  asked  to 
be  excused;  and  when,  two  years  later,  Birkbeck  was  a 
candidate  for  a  living,  the  Master  reminded  the  Duke 
of  his  readiness  and  zeal  upon  a  critical  occasion^. 
Newcastle  probably  received  many  such  reminders  of 
the  scare  of  July  1748;  for  a  scare  it  was,  as  the  Duke 
of  Somerset  did  not  die  until  five  months  later.  On  July 
22nd  it  was  known  that  he  was  out  of  immediate  danger, 
and  by  the  beginning  of  August  Cambridge  had  re- 
lapsed again  into  vacation  somnolence*.  But  the  demon- 
stration in  force  was  not  without  effect.  'Having  been 
called  to  Cambridge  on  Tuesday  last  by  an  annuall 
corporation  feast,'  wrote  Lord  Dupplin  on  August  5th, 

I  paid  my  compliments  to  the  Heads  and  some  particular 
Fellows  who  had  distinguished  themselves  upon  the  late  occasion. 
I  saw  all  the  Heads  except  the  Vice-Chancellor,  who  happened 
to  be  out  when  I  called,  and  the  Master  of  Queens'  who  is  in  a 
bad  state  of  health.  Everyone  is  of  opinion  that  the  alarm  has 

1  Add  MS.  35657,  f.  3.  2  ^Ydd.  MS.  32715,  f.  463. 

3  Add.  MS.  32720,  f.  227.  4  Add.  MS.  32716,  f.  17. 


46      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

had  a  very  good  effect  in  the  university.  The  point  is  well  under- 
stood, and  the  young  men,  who  were  most  in  danger  of  being 
dazzled  with  the  glittering  of  reversionary  preferment,  see  the 
opposition  in  a  right  light  as  a  means  calculated  to  distress  the 
true  friends  of  government,  dishonourable  to  the  great  name 
which  is  made  use  of,  and  injurious  to  the  university.  The 
harmony,  which  appears  among  the  king's  friends,... gave  me 
pleasure,  and  the  spirit  and  determined  firmness,  which  they 
have  all  shewn,  has  strengthened  their  own  party  and  dis- 
couraged their  adversaries.  Those  who  came  from  a  distance,  far 
from  repining  at  the  journey  they  had  taken,  are  pleased  that 
their  appearance  contributed  to  give  life  and  weight  to  the  cause 
in  which  they  are  engaged.  The  majority  exceeds  all  expectation, 
very  very  few  of  the  whigs  are  in  the  opposition,  and  many  of 
the  tories,  particularly  those  of  Caius  college,  have  declared 
their  obedience  to  His  Majesty's  pleasure.  The  design  of  the 
opposers  was  undoubtedly  to  bring  on  the  election  by  surprise; 
but  whether  the  Vice-Chancellor  would  have  taken  so  extra- 
ordinary a  step  I  don't  pretend  to  determine.  So  far  is  certain 
that  the  pressing  and  repeated  applications  of  his  brethren  could 
not  extort  from  him  a  declaration  that  he  would  give  proper 
notice  till  it  was  evident  to  everybody  that  the  superiority  of  the 
king's  friends  was  such  as  could  not  be  defeated  by  any  act 
either  of  power  or  cunning.  As  he  has  now  promised  the  Bishop 
of  Ely  not  to  bring  on  the  election  in  less  than  ten  or  twelve 
days  after  the  notice  of  the  vacancy,... our  friends  are  dispersing 
again^. 

The  battle,  indeed,  had  been  won,  though  the  fruits 
of  victory  could  not  be  gathered  until  after  Somerset's 
death.  As  he  had  pledged  his  word  to  the  Bishop  of 
Ely,  there  was  now  no  fear  of  Dr  Parris  rushing  an 
election;  and  his  conversion  seems  to  have  been  com- 
plete, for  when  in  September  1748  a  false  report  of 
Somerset's  death  reached  Cambridge,  he  at  once  wrote 
to  Thomas  Townshend  and  the  Duke  of  Bedford,  in- 
forming the  former  of  his  readiness  'to  execute  any 
commands  that  you  or  any  friend  of  the  Duke  of  New- 

1  Add.  MS.  32716,  f.  17. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      47 

castle  shall  be  pleased  to  honour  me  with  through 
you\'  and  asking  the  latter  to  send  'any  such  directions 
as  your  Grace  may  think  proper  for  me^.'  Nor  was  Dr 
Parris  the  only  or  the  most  notable  convert.  About 
October  1748  Dr  Richardson,  Master  of  Emmanuel, 
was  officially  informed  by  Dr  Ayscough,  one  of  the 
chaplains  to  the  Prince,  that,  though  His  Royal  High- 
ness was  grateful  for  the  honour  intended  for  him  by 
his  friends  in  the  university,  he  must  command  them 
not  to  make  'any  attempt  to  confer  it  upon  him  as  he 
finds  it  would  not  be  agreeable  to  the  King,  his  father^.' 
For  a  time  the  Master  of  Emmanuel  kept  this  informa- 
tion to  himself;  but  when  the  Duke  of  Somerset  at  last 
died  in  December  1748,  the  Master,  who  happened 
to  be  in  London,  communicated  Ayscough's  letter  to 
Dr  Rutherforth  who  immediately  publicly  announced 
in  Cambridge  that  no  opposition  would  be  offered  to 
Newcastle's  election  as  Chancellor*. 

Thus  the  succession,  for  which  the  Duke  had  waited 
so  long,  came  to  him  in  the  end  undisputed;  and  on 
December  14th  he  was  elected  Chancellor.  As  there 
was  no  other  candidate  the  proceedings  were  formal 
and  uninteresting,  but  his  friends  succeeded  in  con- 
verting the  occasion  into  a  demonstration  of  the  victory 
they  had  achieved  over  a  disloyal  and  factious  minority. 
The  attendance  was  unusually  large^,  one  hundred  and 
ninety  members  of  the  Senate  recording  their  votes^; 
and  when  Dr  Chapman,  Master  of  Magdalene,  who 
had  succeeded  Parris  as  Vice-Chancellor,  declared  the 
Duke  elected,  the  Master  of  St  John's,  carried  away  by 

1  Add.  MS.  32716,  f.  201.  2  Add.  MS.  32716,  f.  207. 

3  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  417;  Add.  MS.  5852,  ff.  116-118. 

*  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  117,5.427. 

"  Dr  Rooke  mentions  that  it  was  'the  fullest  Senate  I  have  ever  seen 
upon  such  an  occasion.'  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  435. 

^  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  116,  f.  427.  Lord  Dupplin  gives  the  number 
of  votes  as  one  hundred  and  ninety  one;  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  443. 


48      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

excitement  and  forgetful  of  his  dignity,  '  pulled  off  his 
cap  and  flourished  it  round  three  or  four  times  over  his 
head,'  thereby  shocking  the  antiquary,  Cole,  who  cen- 
sured such  behaviour  as  a  'peice  of  indecency  in  an  old 
doctor  of  divinity.  Lady  Margaret  Professor  in  that 
faculty,  and  Head  of  a  large  seminary  for  youth^.'  But 
though  the  victory  was  complete  and  the  election  unani- 
mous, there  were  certain  members  of  the  Senate  who 
were  too  stalwart  in  their  principles  to  vote  for  a 
candidate  whom  they  would  gladly  have  seen  defeated; 
and  among  those  who  thus  abstained  were 
all  the  Fellows  of  pure  Emanuel,  the  three  or  four  tories  they 
still  have  at  Peterhouse,  all  of  the  same  stamp  at  King's,  one  or 
two  of  Trinity  and  Pembroke,  several  of  Caius,  and  Dr  Ruther- 
forth  and  some  few  of  St  John's^. 

It  is  probable  however  that  these  men  were  exceptional 
in  their  fidelity  to  a  beaten  and  discredited  cause,  and 
that  in  Newcastle's  big  battalions  were  to  be  found 
many  who  had  supported  the  Prince  of  Wales  as  long 
as  he  seemed  likely  to  be  successful. 

This  contest  for  the  Chancellorship  is  a  striking 
instance  of  the  close  connection  between  parliamentary 
politics  and  the  internal  affairs  of  the  university.  The 
intrigues  of  the  Prince  at  Cambridge  were  part  of 
his  general  campaign  against  the  government.  Though 
he  had  little  or  no  interest  in  learning  or  education,  he 
desired  to  become  the  head  of  a  learned  society  in  order 
that  he  might  convert  it  into  a  stronghold  of  his  party 
and  increase  his  means  of  rewarding  his  followers.  As 
Chancellor  he  would  be  consulted  in  the  disposal  of 
professorships  and  the  other  prizes  of  academic  life, 
and  therefore  his  political  creed  would  commend  itself 
to  those  who  might  need  his  favour.  Newcastle's 
candidature  was  inspired  by  the  same  motives,  and  it 
was  therefore  as  leaders  of  rival  political  parties  that 

1  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  116.  2  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  443. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      49 

they  contended  for  the  suffrages  of  the  members  of  the 
Senate.  Neither  they  nor  those  to  whom  they  appealed 
thought  overmuch  of  the  interests  of  the  university,  and 
the  struggle  was  almost  as  purely  political  as  a  party 
contest  in  the  house  of  commons. 

Newcastle's  victory  was  therefore  rightly  greeted  as 
a  ministerial  triumph  over  the  forces  of  faction;  and  the 
newly  elected  Chancellor  was  determined  that  his  in- 
stallation should  be  worthy  of  the  occasion  and  some- 
thing in  the  way  of  a  national  event.  Though  the 
ceremony  was  not  to  take  place  until  July  ist,  1749, 
Dr  Chapman,  the  Vice-Chancellor,  was  engaged  as 
early  as  the  previous  December  in  hunting  up  pre- 
cedents; and  his  task  was  by  no  means  easy.  Charles 
Ashton,  the  veteran  Master  of  Jesus,  was,  we  are  told, 
'the  only  person  left  who  remembers  the  election  of  the 
Duke  of  Somerset';  but  as  he  had  not  been  a  member 
of  the  Senate  at  the  time,  he  was  not  well  informed  with 
regard  to  the  proceedings^,  and  the  Vice-Chancellor 
was  obliged  to  conduct  arduous  antiquarian  research  in 
order  to  discover  the  traditional  ceremonies  of  an  in- 
stallation. His  labours  were  not  unavailing,  and  by  the 
middle  of  June  the  most  important  details  of  the 
approaching  ceremony  had  been  settled^.  The  Duke 
was  doubtless  content  that  the  ritual  of  the  installation 
should  be  decided  by  those  who  were  on  the  spot,  but 
he  was  determined  to  insure  that  a  distinguished  com- 
pany was  assembled  to  do  him  honour.  'He  has 
invited,  summoned,  pressed  the  entire  body  of  nobility 
and  gentry  from  all  parts  of  England'  wrote  Horace 
Walpole  with  playful  exaggeration^,  and  Newcastle  was 
earnest  in  his  appeals  to  his  friends  to  gratify  him  by 
their  presence.  He  was  especially  anxious  for  a  large 
attendance  of  the  episcopal  Bench,  for  he  loved  a  bishop 

1  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  522.  2  Add.  MS.  32718,  f.  226. 

^  Horace  Walpolc's  Letters  (edited  by  Mrs  Paget  Toynbee),  11,  390. 


50      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

as  dearly  as  lesser  men  love  a  lord:  and  at  one  time  it 
seemed  likely  that  he  would  have  an  opportunity  of 
marching  in  triumph  through  the  streets  of  Cambridge 
accompanied  by  the  two  Primates  and  the  Bishop  of 
London.  This  hope  was  disappointed^,  but  he  at  least 
succeeded  in  gathering  together  as  distinguished  a 
company  as  ever  graced  an  installation. 

Everything  was  done  to  emphasise  the  importance 
of  the  victory  which  had  been  won.  The  Chancellor 
arrived  in  Cambridge  on  the  evening  of  Friday  June 
30th,  having  slept  the  previous  night  at  his  father-in- 
law's  residence  on  the  Gog-Magog  hills^.  It  had  been 
arranged  that  he  should  stay  at  his  old  college,  Clare, 
and,  in  order  to  escape  the  fatigue  of  a  public  reception, 
he  entered  the  college  from  the  Backs^.  Shortly  after 
his  arrival  he  was  waited  upon  by  the  Heads  of  Houses; 
but  he  was  otherwise  left  in  peace  for  that  night.  Soon 
after  eleven  o'clock  on  the  following  morning  a  deputa- 
tion arrived  at  Clare  to  escort  him  to  the  Senate  house, 

at  the  steps  of  which  he  was  met  by  Dr  Chapman,  the  Vice- 
Chancellor,  who  walked  up  the  Senate  house  at  his  left  hand. 
They  then  ascended  the  chair  of  state,  the  Duke  standing  at  the 
left  hand  thereof  and  the  Vice-Chancellor  on  the  right.  A  band 
of  music  having  performed  a  short  overture,  the  Vice-Chancellor 
made  a  congratulatory  speech* 

which  is  said  to  have  been  both  long  and  fulsome^.  At 
the  conclusion  of  his  speech  Dr  Chapman  presented  the 
Duke  with  a  handsomely  bound  copy  of  the  university 
statutes  and  his  patent  of  election,  illuminated  by  Sir 

^  'But  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  to  the  disappointment  of  the 
university  as  well  as  mine,  after  having  determined  to  do  honour  to 
it,  on  a  sudden  laid  aside  the  thoughts  of  it,  (as  is  said)  some  difficulty 
having  arisen  in  his  mind  as  to  precedency  on  the  occasion.'  Samuel 
Kerrick  to  his  wife,  July  2nd,  1749,  Pyle  IVISS.  vol.  vi. 

^  The  Duke  was  married  to  a  daughter  of  Lord  Godolphin. 

3  Add.  MS.  5852,  f  427.  *  Cooper's  Annals,  iv,  268. 

5  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  427. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      51 

Thomas  Brand^  and  enclosed  in  a  'silver  box  gilt  with 
the  university  arms  engraved  thereon  on  one  side,  the 
Chancellor's  and  Vice-Chancellor's  on  the  other 2.'  Then 
the  Senior  Proctor  administered  the  oath  of  office  to  the 
Duke  who  thereupon  sat  down  in  the  chair  of  state  and 
listened  to  a  Latin  speech  by  the  Public  Orator  who 
endeavoured 

to  take  off  from  the  obloquy  which  might  have  been  thrown  upon 
the  university  for  the  late  proceedings  of  some  of  our  youth, 
and  threw  those  irregularities  on  the  licentiousness  of  the  age  in 
general  ^. 

To  this  oration  the  Chancellor  replied  in  English,  and 
his  speech  was  followed  by  the  singing  of  an  ode,  com- 
posed by  William  Mason  and  set  to  music  by  William 
Boyce  of  the  Chapel  Royal. 

This  brought  the  ceremony  in  the  Senate  house  to 
an  end:  and  the  next  item  in  the  day's  programme  was 
the  installation  banquet.  It  had  been  arranged  that  the 
banquet  should  be  held  in  the  hall  of  Trinity,  no  other 
college  having  a  hall  large  enough  to  accommodate 
the  number  of  guests^:  and  the  procession  from  the 
Senate  house  to  Trinity  was  probably,  as  far   as   the 

1  Sir  Thomas  Brand  was  illuminator  to  the  king  and  a  gentleman 
usher  daily  waiter. 

2  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  427. 

^  Ibid.  'I  had  the  honour,'  wrote  Samuel  Kerrick  on  July  2nd, 
1749,  ^°  ^^^  wife,  'to  walk  in  both  the  processions:  the  one  for  the 
nobility  and  great  personages  from  Clare  Hall  (where  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle  lodged)  to  the  Senate  house  in  order  to  his  being  installed. 
Everyone's  name  was  taken  down  and  called  over  before  the  procession 
began  and  everyone  was  placed  according  to  his  rank  under  the 
direction  of  Sir  Clement  Cotterell,  High  Master  of  the  Ceremonies,  the 
Duke  walking  first.  After  the  installation .  .  .there  was  another  procession 
from  the  Senate  house  to  Trinity  college  where  a  most  magnificent 
entertainment  was  provided.'  Pyle  MSS.  vol.  vi. 

^  Even  the  hall  of  Trinity  was  not  sufficiently  spacious  and  there 
was  an  overflow  into  the  Master's  Lodge:  Add.  MS.  32718,  f.  204. 

4—2 


52      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

general  public  was  concerned,  the  most  attractive  part 
of  the  day's  proceedings.  The  order  of  the  procession 
was  as  follows: 

Fellow  Commoners,  properly  habited,  preceded  by  the 
Yeoman  Bedel,  the  juniors  first,  batchelors  of  physick,  batche- 
lors  of  law,  regent  masters,  non-regent  masters,  batchelors 
of  divinity — all  with  their  proper  hoods  and  caps — Scrutators, 
Taxors,  Proctors  with  their  chained  books,  the  Orator,  in- 
ceptors  in  physick,  inceptors  in  law,  inceptors  in  divinity, 
non-gremial  doctors  in  physick,  law,  divinity,  without  robes, 
all  these  two  by  two,  the  Vice-Chancellor  alone,  and  His 
Grace,  the  Chancellor,  in  his  robes,  followed  by  the  nobility, 
bishops,  etc.,  and  preceded  by  the  three  Esquire  Bedels  i. 

This  stately  procession  wended  its  way  along  Trinity 
street  and  across  the  Trinity  Great  Court:  but,  on 
reaching  the  hall  steps,  the  Yeoman  Bedell,  who  was 
leading,  halted  in  order  to  allow  the  junior  members 
to  withdraw.  The  procession  then  reformed,  and  'the 
Chancellor,  nobility,  doctors,  etc.,  passed  through  into 
the  cloysters  where  the  doctors  put  on  their  common 
scarlet  gowns^.' 

After  a  short  wait  the  company  trooped  into  the 
hall  for  the  banquet.  The  Chancellor  sat  in  the  middle 
of  the  upper  table,  facing  the  hall,  and  each  of  the 
other  tables  was  presided  over  by  a  nobleman.  There 
was  however  no  general  assignment  of  seats,  though 
apparently  a  natural  order  of  aristocracy  asserted  itself, 
as  there  were  noticeably  more  Heads  of  Houses  at  the 
Chancellor's  table  than  at  any  other.  Probably  the  hall 
was  uncomfortably  crowded:  and  though  Newcastle's 
cooks  had  been  sent  down  to  Cambridge  to  assist  in  the 
preparation  of  the  meal,  we  learn,  from  one  who  was 
present,  that  the  fare  was  'plain  and  in  the  academical 
manner  of  entertaining^.'  The  dignity  of  the  proceedings 

1  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  427.  2  /^,v_ 

^  Harris'  Life  of  Hardzvicke,  11,  387. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      53 

was  somewhat  marred  by  the  behaviour  of  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  who  acted  as  toastmaster,  and  so  overdid 
his  part  as  to  shock  the  sensitive  Cole  who  afterwards 
complained  that 

it  appeared  equally  shocking  and  disgusting  to  see  the  second 
person  of  the  university  rising  up  from  his  place  upon  every 
fresh  health  and,  with  his  cap  elated,  delivering  it  out  in  a 
stentorian  voice  to  all  the  company  in  the  hall^. 

But  whatever  were  the  shortcomings  of  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  and  the  fare,  it  is  probable  that  there  was 
no  lack  of  that  conviviality  and  good-fellowship  which 
contribute  more  than  ceremony  to  the  success  of  an 
entertainment. 

Having  been  installed  and  feasted,  Newcastle  was 
free  to  spend  the  remaining  days  of  his  visit  in  making 
himself  known  to  the  university:  and  he  made  the  most 
of  the  opportunity.  On  Sunday  July  2nd  he  attended 
both  the  morning  and  afternoon  services  at  the  uni- 
versity church,  and  on  the  following  day  officiated  as 
Chancellor  at  an  admission  to  honorary  degrees,  re- 
signing at  the  conclusion  of  the  ceremony  the  office  of 
High  Steward  which  he  had  held  for  twelve  years^.  On 
Tuesday  he  was  again  in  the  Senate  house,  witnessing 
the  creation  of  doctors,  and  these  official  appearances 
were  only  a  part,  and  not  the  most  arduous  part,  of  his 
activities.  During  his  stay  in  Cambridge  he  visited 
every  college  in  turn,  'and  was  met  at  the  college  gates 
by  the  respective  Masters  and  Fellows,  properly  habited, 
and  by  them  regaled  with  wine,  etc.^'  The  Duke  was 
indeed  unsparing  in  his  efforts  to  make  a  good  im- 
pression:  and  when  on  Wednesday  July  5th  he  left 

1  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  427. 

^  'The  Duke,  in  an  exceeding  handsome  speech  which  charmed 
everybody,  desired  they  would  accept  his  resignation  of  the  office  of 
High  Steward  of  the  university,'  Samuel  Kerrick  to  his  wife,  July  6th, 
1749,  Pyle  MSS.  vol.  VI.  3  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  427. 


54      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

Cambridge  to  visit  the  Duke  of  Grafton  at  Euston,  he 
must  have  been  in  a  slightly  shattered  condition  and  in 
need  of  a  rest. 

'Everyone,  while  it  lasted,'  wrote  Gray  to  his  friend,  Wharton, 
'was  very  gay  and  very  busy  in  the  morning,  and  very  owlish 
and  very  tipsy  at  night:  I  make  no  exceptions  from  the  Chan- 
cellor to  Blew-Coat^,' 

But  though  fatigued,  Newcastle  had  good  reason  to 
be  content  with  his  reception  which  proclaimed  the 
loyalty  of  Cambridge  to  the  whig  and  ministerial 
cause.  He  was  now  in  a  favourable  position  to  make  his 
influence  predominant  in  the  university:  and  it  was 
significant  that,  on  the  day  he  departed,  the  office  of 
High  Steward  was  given  by  Grace  of  the  Senate  to  his 
old  friend  and  most  intimate  political  associate,  Lord 
Chancellor  Hardwicke.  As  a  Cambridgeshire  magnate^ 
and  a  leading  member  of  the  administration,  Hardwicke 
was  an  extremely  eligible  candidate:  but  possibly  the 
Grace  for  his  appointment,  which  passed  'without  the 
least  objection  or  murmur^,'  would  not  have  been 
carried  so  easily  if  it  had  not  been  known  that  Newcastle 
was  particularly  anxious  for  him  to  be  High  Steward. 
Jealous  of  any  rival  influence  being  established  in  the 
university,  the  Chancellor  needed  a  High  Steward  whom 
he  could  absolutely  trust,  and  if  he  could  not  trust 
Hardwicke  he  could  trust  nobody.  Thus  the  university 
submitted  to  the  ministry,  confessing  that  whiggism 
was  the  only  true  faith  and  that  Newcastle  was  its 
prophet. 

It  will  be  seen  later  that  the  Duke  spared  no  effort 
to  foster  this  faith,  and  that  his  sins  towards  Cambridge 
were  not  those  of  omission.  Seldom  has  the  university 

^  Gray's  Letters  (edited  by  D.  C.  Tovey),  ].  201—203. 

2  Lord  Hardwicke's  country  seat  was  WimpoJe  Hall  which  is  about 
ten  miles  from  Cambridge. 

3  Add.  MS.  32718,  f.  273. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      55 

had  a  more  active  Chancellor:  and  as  long  as  he  re- 
mained in  the  service  of  the  crown  and  in  control  of 
the  royal  patronage,  he  was  able  to  rely  upon  the  loyalty 
of  his  academic  subjects.  It  is  true  that  his  authority  in 
the  university,  even  when  he  was  at  the  height  of  his 
power,  was  never  quite  unchallenged,  but  the  wishes 
of  a  Chancellor,  who  could  so  richly  reward  obedience, 
were  not  to  be  lightly  disregarded.  But  when,  eighteen 
months  after  the  accession  of  George  III,  Newcastle 
fell  from  office,  he  found  that  he  had  built  his  greatness, 
both  academical  and  political,  upon  a  foundation  of  sand. 
From  being  the  statesman  whom  the  king  delighted 
to  honour,  the  maker  and  marrer  of  destinies,  and  the 
object  of  servile  adulation,  he  became  the  leader  of  an 
impotent  and  discredited  opposition  party,  doomed  to 
failure  from  its  inception.  The  weapon  of  patronage, 
which  he  had  wielded  for  so  long  and  so  skilfully,  was 
now  turned  against  him  by  men  who  had  learned  its 
use  from  him.  He  paid  to  the  uttermost  farthing  the 
penalty  for  having  founded  his  political  power  upon 
human  greed  and  avarice,  and  suffered  the  mortification 
of  finding  himself  deserted  by  those  who  had  been 
most  obedient  to  his  will  in  his  days  of  greatness.  Nor 
was  it  only  in  the  political  world  that  his  influence 
declined.  The  change  in  his  fortunes  was  not  long  in 
making  itself  felt  in  Cambridge:  for  there  was  little 
material  inducement  to  remain  faithful  to  a  Chancellor 
who  had  only  gratitude  to  give.  The  time  was  ripe  for 
a  rival  banner  to  be  planted  in  the  university,  and  all 
that  was  needed  was  a  favourable  opportunity. 

The  opportunity  came  in  the  autumn  of  1763  when 
Lord  Hardwicke  was  overtaken  by  what  proved  to  be 
his  last  illness.  Though  he  lingered  until  March  6th, 
1764,  and  at  one  time  so  far  rallied  his  strength  as  to 
encourage  hopes  of  a  complete  recovery,  it  was  com- 
monly assumed  from  the  first  that  he  would  not  survive. 


56      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

and  the  question  of  his  successor  as  High  Steward 
began  to  be  canvassed  almost  as  soon  as  he  fell  ill. 
Neither  the  young  King  nor  the  Grenville  ministry, 
then  in  office,  would  have  acted  in  accordance  with  the 
political  traditions  of  the  age  if  they  had  not  con- 
templated utilising  the  occasion  to  overthrow  the  influ- 
ence in  the  university  of  their  antagonist,  Newcastle; 
and  when  about  November  22  nd  Lord  Sandwich,  one 
of  the  Secretaries  of  State,  informed  the  King  that  in 
the  event  of  Hardwicke's  death  he  wished  to  succeed 
him  as  High  Steward,  the  announcement  was  probably 
not  unexpected.  Sandwich  had  undoubtedly  strong 
claims  to  recognition  by  the  university  of  Cambridge. 
He  had  passed  two  years  of  his  boyhood  at  Trinity,  his 
country  seat,  Hinchingbrooke,  was  only  a  few  miles 
distant  from  Cam^bridge,  and  he  had  always  taken  an 
interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  university.  Moreover  as  a 
patron  of  the  fine  arts  he  was  not  unworthy  of  high 
academic  office,  and  as  a  servant  of  the  crown  he  might 
legitimately  appeal  for  loyal  support.  Unfortunately, 
however,  the  scandals  of  his  private  life  were  such  as 
to  shock  an  age  which  was  not  easily  put  out  of  counten- 
ance. When  every  allowance  has  been  made  for  the 
exaggeration  of  gossip  and  the  malice  of  his  enemies, 
enough  remains  to  stamp  Sandwich  as  an  abandoned 
profligate  sunk  in  sensual  enjoyment.  A  distinguished 
member  of  the  infamous  hell-fire  club  which  met  at 
Medmenham  Abbey,  and  the  boon  companion  of  some 
of  the  worst  men  of  his  time,  he  had  chosen  evil  for  his 
good;  and  his  only  innocent  passion  was  a  love  of 
music.  The  morality  of  the  eighteenth  century  how- 
ever was  not  rigid,  and  it  was  apparently  not  until  he 
added  hypocrisy  to  his  other  vices  that  he  became  an 
object  of  public  scorn.  But  when  on  November  15th, 
1763,  he  rose  in  the  house  of  lords  and  denounced 
his  friend,  John  Wilkes,  as  the  author  of  an  indecent 


PLATE   II 


JOHN  MONTAGU 

FOL  R'lH    I.;,\RI.   OF   SANDWICH 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      57 

poem,  he  revealed  that  he  could  not  even  attain  the 
proverbial  standard  of  honour  among  rogues  and 
thieves.  It  was  well  known  that  Wilkes  was  being 
attacked  because  he  was  a  troublesome  opponent  of  the 
government,  that  the  copy  of  the  denounced  poem  had 
been  obtained  by  most  questionable  means,  and  that 
Sandwich's  object  was  not  to  safeguard  morality  but  to 
discredit  Wilkes.  Revolting  as  the  poem  may  have  been, 
it  could  hardly  have  been  more  revolting  than  the 
spectacle  of  Sandwich  as  the  champion  of  virtue  and 
decency:  and  public  opinion  quickly  decided  that  the 
accuser  was  a  greater  criminal  than  the  accused.  Shortly 
after  the  scene  in  the  house  of  lords,  the  Beggars' 
Opera  was  produced  at  Covent  Garden  theatre,  and 
Captain  Macheath's  remark  'That  Jemmy  Twitcher 
should  peach  me  I  own  surprised  me'  was  greeted  by 
the  audience  with  'an  applause  of  application^.'  For 
the  rest  of  his  life  Sandwich  was  known  as  'Jemmy 
Twitcher':  and  if  public  opinion  had  been  an  effective 
political  force  in  the  eighteenth  century,  his  career  as  a 
statesman  would  have  come  to  an  end  on  the  day  he 
denounced  Wilkes. 

Yet  it  was  only  a  week  after  his  unfortunate  appear- 
ance as  a  champion  of  outraged  virtue  that  this  dis- 
reputable nobleman  informed  the  King  of  his  designs 
upon  Cambridge.  He  had  previously  discussed  the  pro- 
ject with  George  Grenville,  the  First  Lord  of  the 
Treasury,  and  Lord  Halifax,  the  other  Secretary  of 
State:  and  Grenville  had  certainly  not  encouraged  him 
to  persevere  in  the  venture.  Though  naturally  anxious 
for  the  university  to  be  freed  from  Newcastle's  influence 
and  connected  with  the  administration,  Grenville  real- 
ised that  Sandwich's  candidature  would  be  generally 
interpreted  as  a  further  outrage  upon  public  decency 

^  Walpole's  Memoirs  of  the  Reign  of  George  III  (edited  by  G.  F. 
Russell  Barker),  i,  249. 


58      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

and  might  therefore  fail:  and  he  was  fortified  in  this 
opinion  by  Keene,  Bishop  of  Chester,  who  as  a  former 
Master  of  Peterhouse  could  speak  for  the  university^. 
Grenville  therefore  urged  strongly  upon  the  King  that 
Sandwich  would  disgrace  the  royal  and  ministerial 
recommendation,  and  suggested  that  Lord  Halifax, 
who  had  also  been  educated  at  Cambridge,  should  be 
the  government  candidate.  This  was  undoubtedly  a 
very  wise  proposal,  for  Halifax,  though  not  distin- 
guished, was  at  least  respectable:  but  on  making 
further  enquiries  Grenville  discovered  that  Sandwich, 
realising  his  own  deficiencies  as  a  candidate,  had  adroitly 

^  Edmund  Keene,  Bishop  of  Chester,  was  a  younger  brother  of 
Sir  Benjamin  Keene,  the  diplomatist.  He  had  been  a  follower  of  New- 
castle in  the  days  of  the  Duke's  prosperity,  but  on  the  accession  of 
George  III  he  deserted  his  patron  for  the  court.  He  had  the  reputation 
of  being  a  'cheerful,  generous,  and  good-tempered  man':  but  he  lies 
under  the  suspicion  of  being  a  very  abandoned  time  server.  In  1774 
the  antiquary.  Cole,  met  a  lady  at  Horace  Walpole's  table,  and  after 
she  had  retired,  Walpole  told  him  a  tale  about  her  which  Cole  after- 
wards wrote  down.  'She  is'  he  wrote  'the  natural  daughter  of  Sir 
Robert  Walpole,  first  Earl  of  Orford:  and  that  she  might  not  be  left 
destitute  when  her  father  was  no  more,  bought  a  living  for  £600  and 
proposed  marrying  her  to  Mr  Keene.  .  .  .Accordingly,  Mr  Keene  was 
put  into  possession  of  this  living  and  enjoyed  it  as  his  first  preferment 
for  some  time.  In  the  interim  Lord  Orford  dies,  and  when  the  lady 
was  marriageable,  it  was  proposed  to  Mr  Keene  to  fulfil  his  engagement: 
but  as  he  had  by  this  time  made  other  connections,  and  the  lady,  I 
suppose,  not  over-tempting,  though  of  this  Mr  Walpole  said  not  a  word, 
and  I  only  judge  so  from  her  present  squat,  short,  gummy  appearance, 
though  by  no  means  deformed  or  mishaped  but  rather  under-sized 
and  snub-faced,  which  probably  might  have  been  better  when  she  was 
younger.  When  this  was  determined  on,  the  lady  had  nothing  to  do 
but  to  retire  and  live  as  well  as  she  could  with  her  mother  in  a  starving 
condition,  as  no  further  provision  was  made  for  her  and  the  family 
knew  nothing  about  her.  .  .  .Now  I  have  related  the  story.  .  .1  must 
needs  add  this  caution  about  it.  Mr  Walpole  is  one  of  the  most  sanguine 
friends  or  enemies  that  I  know.  He  has  had  a  long  pique,  I  well  know, 
against  the  bishop  and  indeed  his  being  a  bishop  is  a  sufficient  reason 
for  his  spleen  and  satire.'  Add.  MS.  5847,  f  402,  f.  403. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      59 

dissuaded  Halifax  from  standing  by  dangling  before 
him  the  prospect  of  succeeding  Newcastle  as  Chancellor. 

'In  the  evening'  noted  Grenville  in  his  diary  'Mr  Grenville 
mentioned  to  Lord  Halifax,  under  the  seal  of  secrecy,  the 
difficulty  Lord  Sandwich  would  meet  with  at  Cambridge,  that 
the  nomination  would  be  much  easier  for  his  Lordship.  He  told 
Mr  Grenville  that  Lord  Sandwich  and  he  had  agreed  between 
themselves  that  the  first  should  be  Steward  and  the  last  Chan- 
cellori.' 

Sandwich  had  truly  played  his  cards  with  skill:  for 
as  Grenville  and  the  Lord  Chancellor,  Northington, 
hailed  from  the  university  of  Oxford,  and  the  Duke  of 
Bedford,  the  Lord  President,  had  not  been  educated 
at  either  university.  Sandwich  and  Halifax  were  the 
only  representatives  of  Cambridge  among  the  leading 
members  of  the  government;  and,  by  persuading  Hali- 
fax to  stand  aside,  Sandwich  practically  forced  the  King 
and  Grenville  to  choose  between  running  him  as  their 
candidate  or  foregoing  an  opportunity  of  establishing 
the  ministerial  influence  in  Cambridge.  In  such  circum- 
stances neither  the  King  nor  Grenville  was  prepared  to 
forbid  his  candidature,  much  as  they  disliked  and 
feared  it,  and  Sandwich  was  able  to  congratulate  him- 
self upon  having  surmounted  the  initial  difliculty.  He 
doubtless  hoped  that  the  university  might  forget  his 
shortcomings  as  a  man  and  remember  his  power  as  a 
minister. 

Sandwich  had  not  been  singular  however  in  per- 
ceiving that  a  new  High  Steward  might  soon  be  needed: 
and  Newcastle,  while  yet  unaware  of  the  plot  being 
hatched  against  him,  had  decided  that  Hardwicke 
should  be  succeeded  by  his  son,  Lord  Royston-.  Ever 

^  Grenville  Papers,  11,  227,  228.  It  is  also  possible  that  Halifax, 
v/ho  was  on  friendly  terms  with  Newcastle,  felt  a  certain  delicacy  in 
opposing  him  at  Cambridge. 

2  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  55. 


6o      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

fearful  of  a  rival  influence  being  established  in  the  uni- 
versity, the  Duke  was  naturally  anxious  to  maintain  a 
close  connection  between  Cambridge  and  the  Hard- 
wicke  family:  and  though  Royston  was  not  an  eminent 
politician,  he  was  a  man  of  scholarly  tastes  and  respect- 
able life,  and  in  many  ways  very  well  suited  for  academic 
office.  He  had  been  educated  at  Corpus,  had  always 
taken  an  interest  in  the  university,  and  was  well  known 
to  several  of  its  leading  members:  and  it  is  probable 
that  Newcastle  did  not  anticipate  any  serious  opposition 
to  his  candidature.  Had  the  Duke  realised  that  he  was 
embarking  upon  one  of  the  fiercest  and  most  hardly 
fought  contests  that  either  university  has  ever  known, 
he  might  have  selected  another  candidate:  for  though 
Royston  was  able  to  boast  a  moral  superiority  over 
Sandwich,  he  was  conspicuously  lacking  in  the  love  of 
battle  and  disinclined  to  support  his  claims  with  vigour. 
Something  of  a  recluse  and  deficient  in  charm  of 
manner,  he  had  none  of  the  attributes  of  a  popular 
candidate:  and  though  not  unwilling  to  accept  the 
office  of  High  Steward,  he  was  not  prepared  to  fight 
for  it.  In  after  years  he  peevishly  complained  that  he 
had  been  the  victim  of  his  brother,  Charles  Yorke,  and 
Newcastle  who  had  used  him  for  their  own  ends  and 
involved  him  in  a  wearisome  and  profitless  struggle. 

'I  can  never'  he  wrote  'think  with  pleasure  of  this  affair. 
It  gave  me  at  the  time  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  laid  me  under 
several  obligations  for  an  object  which  was  in  itself  a  trifle,  and, 
unless  made  an  unanimous  compliment,  not  very  acceptable^.' 

The  decision  however  was  taken  before  the  need 
of  a  fighting  candidate  was  realised,  and  for  a  few  days 
Newcastle  apparently  thought  that  all  would  be  plain 
sailing.  But  he  was  too  experienced  a  campaigner 
not  to  take  precautions:  and  on  November  26th  he 
issued  instructions  to  his  friend,  Yonge,  Bishop  of 
1  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  42. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS       6i 

Norwich,  who,  having  formerly  been  Master  of  Jesus, 
was  in  touch  with  university  poHtics  and  politicians. 

'The  Bishop  of  Lincoln i'  he  wrote  'received  a  most  favour- 
able letter  last  night  from  the  Vice-Chancellor  that  I  could  have 
expected:  and  I  really  think,  if  this  fatal  event  should  happen, 
which  I  hope  in  God  it  may  not,  if  proper  care  is  taken  in  time 
my  Lord  Royston  will  meet  with  little  or  no  difficulty.  The 
management  must  be  left  entirely  to  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  the 
Bishop  of  Litchfield  \  and  yourself  Proper  notice  should  be  given 
to  all  our  friends  in  the  university  of  the  disposition  of  the  Vice- 
Chancellor I  wish  you  would  write  a  proper  letter  to  my  friend, 

Dr  Sumner^,  and  to  Dr  Sandby*.  My  honest  friend,  Mr  Hughes 
of  Queens',  is  now  in  town:  he  and  all  our  friends  in  town  should 
be  applied  to.  Dr  Barnard  of  Eton  School  should  be  spoke  to.  You 
best  know  what  to  do  with  the  Masters  of  Trinity  and  St  John's  ^' 

Newcastle  was  sanguine  and  perhaps  over-sanguine. 
He  was  confident  of  the  support  of  the  Vice-Chancellor, 
who,  he  declared,  would  'make  the  nomination  we 
desire^';  though  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  Vice- 
Chancellor,  who  was  William  Elliston,  Master  of 
Sidney,  had  gone  further  in  his  letter  to  the  Bishop  of 
Lincoln  than  the  expression  of  vague  and  non-com- 
mittal sentiments  of  loyalty  to  the  whig  cause '^.  Nor  is 

^  Dr  John  Green,  Bishop  of  Lincoln  and  Master  of  Corpus,  was 
one  of  the  most  active  supporters  of  the  Newcastle  and  Hardwicke 
interest  at  Cambridge:  but  he  seems  to  have  been  more  closely  connected 
with  Hardwicke  than  Newcastle. 

2  Frederick  Cornwallis  who  afterwards  became  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury. He  was  for  a  time  a  Fellow  of  Christ's:  and  of  the  many  bishops 
created  by  Newcastle,  he  was  the  only  one  who  attended  the  first  levee 
held  by  the  Duke  after  his  fall  from  office  in  1762.  It  was  on  this 
occasion  that  Newcastle  remarked  with  equal  wit  and  truth  that  'bishops, 
like  other  men,  are  apt  to  forget  their  Maker.' 

^  The  Provost  of  King's.  *  The  Master  of  Magdalene. 

5  Add.  MS.  32953,  f  73.  ^  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  55. 

■^  E'lliston  was  elected  Master  of  Sidney  in  1760,  being  then  a  master 
of  arts  of  less  than  two  years'  standing.  It  was  remarked  at  the  time  that 
he  was  probably  the  youngest  man  ever  made  a  Head  of  a  House. 
Add.  MS.  32905,  f  343. 


62      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

there  any  suggestion  that  the  Duke  suspected  a  min- 
isterial onslaught  upon  his  sphere  of  influence :  and  he 
seems  to  have  thought  that  nothing  more  was  needed 
than  a  little  management  and  a  good  deal  of  flattery. 
He  was  speedily  aroused  from  this  pleasant  dream.  To 
his  disgust  and  annoyance  he  heard  that  the  Masters 
of  Magdalene  and  Peterhouse,  though  they  had  stoutly 
declined  to  desert  their  old  friends,  had  been  asked  to 
pledge  themselves  to  vote  for  Sandwich  in  the  event  of 
a  vacancy  in  the  High  Stewardship^;  and  that  the 
Master  and  Vice-Master  of  Trinity  had  both  declared 
for  Sandwich  and  begun  actively  to  canvass  their  college 
on  his  behalf^.  The  news  was  bad  both  in  itself  and  as 
an  indication  of  evil  in  store.  It  was  in  no  way  surprising 
that  Dr  Smith,  Master  of  Trinity,  should  espouse  the 
cause  of  Sandwich,  for  his  relations  with  Newcastle  had 
never  been  cordial:  but  the  Duke  must  have  been 
deeply  chagrined  by  the  desertion  of  his  old  friend  and 
ally,  the  Vice-Master,  Dr  Walker :  and  there  was  reason 
to  fear,  with  all  that  Sandwich  had  to  offer,  that  the 
Masters  of  Magdalene  and  Peterhouse  would  be  the 
exceptions  in  their  fidelity  and  Walker  the  rule  in  his 
treachery.  If  moreover  the  Master  and  Vice-Master 
of  Trinity  succeeded  in  their  canvass  of  the  college, 
Sandwich  would  gain  a  decisive  advantage  at  the  outset, 
for  the  Trinity  vote  might  decide  the  contest. 

Clearly  the  situation  was  fraught  with  danger,  and 
Newcastle  was  compelled  to  revise  his  plan  of  campaign. 
It  had  been  his  original  intention  to  avoid  a  public 
canvass,  for  a  lengthy  experience  of  politics  had  not 
killed  all  his  finer  feelings,  and  there  was  an  obvious 
indecency  in  treating  Lord  Hardwicke's  death  as  a 
foregone  conclusion.  Decency  and  Lord  Sandwich 
however  were  complete  strangers:  and  if  Newcastle 
waited  for  Hardwicke's  death  as  the  signal  for  a  public 

1  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  85,  f.  127,  f.  145.     2  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  129. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      63 

appeal  to  the  university,  it  was  tolerably  certain  that  he 
would  find  that  many  members  of  the  Senate  had 
pledged  themselves  to  Sandwich-  in  ignorance  of  any 
other  candidate.  Consequently  he  was  advised  by  his 
friends  to  abandon  his  delicate  reserve. 

'Your  Grace  knows  well'  wrote  John  Chevallier  of  St 
John's^  on  November  30th  'that  Lord  Sandwich  has  offered 
himself  a  candidate,  under  favour  of  the  court,  for  the  office  of 
High  Steward  of  this  university.  His  friends,  some  of  them  men 
of  authority,  are  now  busy  in  canvassing  for  him.  Should  it  be 
agreeable  to  your  Grace,  as  I  hope  it  is,  to  give  us  an  High 
Steward,  I  beg  leave  to  lay  before  you  this  particular,  namely 
that  great  part  of  the  Senate  would  be  very  glad,  if  it  be  con- 
sistent with  your  Grace's  views,  to  be  informed  of  your  intention. 
We  are  apprehensive  that  many  absent  and  young  masters  of 
arts  will  engage  themselves  hastily  to  his  Lordship  because  they 
will  have  heard  of  no  opposition^.' 

The  advice  was  sound  and  was  accepted  by  New- 
castle. 

'So  many  of  my  friends'  he  informed  the  Vice-Chancellor 
on  December  ist  'having  pressed  me  to  be  no  longer  silent  upon 
a  subject,  which  I  cannot  think  of  without  the  utmost  concern, 
I  take  the  liberty  to  acquaint  you  that  if  it  should  please  God  to 
deprive  the  university  of  their  most  excellent  patron,  and  myself 
of  my  most  dear  friend.  Lord  Hardwicke,  I  shall  heartily  wish 
that  he  may  be  succeeded  as  High  Steward  in  the  university  by 
the  truly  worthy  heir  to  his  virtues  and  titles.  My  Lord  Royston 
was  educated  with  us,  and  does  honour  to  his  education  by  his 
character  viewed  in  every  light,  as  a  nobleman  of  distinguished 
virtue,  and  as  a  scholar  and  a  friend  to  religion  and  learning.  He 
is  your  neighbour.  Lord  Lieutenant,  and  representative  of  your 
county:  but  above  all  he  is  the  son  of  my  Lord  Hardwicke.  I 
still  hope  it  will  please  God  to  preserve  the  valuable  life  of  that 
great  and  good  man:  if  not,  you  have  here  my  sentiments  in 
relation  to  his  successor,  which  you  will  be  so  good  as  to  com- 
municate to  such  members  of  the  university  as  you  may  think 

^  Fellow  and  afterwards  Master  of  St  John's. 
2  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  131. 


64      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

proper.  But  I  am  desirous  that  this  letter  may  not  be  read  to 
themi.' 

Newcastle  wrote  similar  letters  to  the  Masters  of 
Pembroke  and  St  John's^,  and  thus  accepted  the  chal- 
lenge thrown  down  by  Sandwich.  From  this  time  on- 
wards it  was  a  fight  to  the  death  between  two  rival 
interests  in  the  university:  and  though  Royston  re- 
mained in  the  background  and  displayed  but  a  languid 
interest  in  the  fray,  his  deficiencies  as  a  combatant  were 
more  than  compensated  for  by  the  vigour  of  the  Duke. 
Reluctant  though  Newcastle  had  been  to  begin  the 
contest,  having  once  begun  it  he  rightly  thought  of 
nothing  but  victory;  and  he  knew  that  victory  could 
only  be  achieved  by  careful  and  systematic  organisation. 
It  was  imperative  that  as  many  members  of  the  Senate 
as  possible  should  be  asked  without  delay  to  pledge 
themselves  to  vote  for  Royston  if  Hardwicke  died;  and 
that  the  canvass  should  not  be  confined  to  merely  the 
resident  voters,  but  extended  so  as  to  include  the  large 
number  of  members  of  the  Senate  scattered  over  the 
country.  Such  a  task  needed  skill,  knowledge  and 
thoroughness  for  its  successful  accomplishment;  and  the 
general  plan  seems  to  have  been  for  lists  of  voters  to  be 
sent  from  Cambridge  to  the  Duke  and  the  Bishops  of 
Norwich  and  Lincoln  who  scrutinised  them  with  a 
view  of  discovering  the  proper  avenue  of  approach  to 
each  individual  voter.  Thus  it  is  noted  on  one  such 
list  among  the  Duke's  papers  that  Lord  Dartmouth  is 
to  be  asked  to  solicit  Berridge  of  Clare  and  Wadeson, 
Fellow  of  St  John's,  that  the  Archbishop  of  York  is  to 
be  entrusted  with  the  task  of  sounding  another  Fellow 
of  St  John's,  William  Plucknett,  who  was  a  curate  at 
Gainsborough,  that  the  Bishop  of  Exeter  is  to  be  called 
upon  to  infliuence  the  son  of  one  of  his  Canons:  and 

1  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  154. 

2  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  158,  f.  166. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      65 

that  the  Duke  himself  is  to  write  to  four  other  voters^. 
The  task  was  tedious  and  tiresome ;  but  Newcastle  was 
determined  upon  victory  and  unsparing  in  his  efforts. 
He  could  not  have  taken  more  trouble  if  the  fate  of 
England  had  been  at  stake.  He  wrote  to  Dr  Markham, 
the  headmaster  of  his  old  school,  Westminster,  to 
request  him  to  use  his  influence  with  a  Fellow  of 
Trinity  who  had  been  at  Westminster^ ;  he  asked  Lord 
Edgecumbe  to  appeal  to  Dr  Sumner,  Provost  of  King's, 
pointing  out  that  'your  Lordship  has  a  right  to  com- 
mand Dr  Sumner  as  he  owes  the  best  of  his  preferments 
(two  livings)  to  your  father^ ' ;  he  called  upon  Lord 
Folkestone  to  bring  pressure  to  bear  upon  a  Fellow  of 
Queens'*;  and  sent  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
'the  names  of  those  gentlemen  of  our  university  who, 
it  is  said,  will  be  influenced  by  your  Grace^.'  Nor  was 
this  work  unattended  with  danger. 

'When  I  saw  your  Grace's  name  on  the  direction  of  a  letter 
to  me'  Dr  Warner  replied  to  the  Duke  'I  was  in  hopes  it  was 
in  answer  to  one  with  which  I  had  troubled  your  Grace,  some 
little  time  ago,  in  favour  of  a  charitable  institution  for  the 
widows  and  children  of  the  clergy  in  that  part  of  the  county  of 
Surrey  in  which  your  Grace  resides,  and  which  I  have  had  the 
principal  part  in  getting  established.  I  now  enclose  your  Grace 
a  copy  of  our  rules  and  constitution,  in  hope  that  the  Society 
will  be  honoured  with  your  Grace's  subscription^.' 

Like  many  other  enthusiasts,  however,  Newcastle 
found,  or  thought  he  found,  that  his  supporters  were 
not  as  energetic  as  he  considered  they  ought  to  be. 
About  the  end  of  December  he  complained  with  some 
bitterness  that  his  friends  at  Cambridge  were  not 
exerting  themselves,  and  insisted  that  the  Bishop  of 
Lincoln  should 
speak  to  all  our  sure  friends  amongst  the  Heads,... and  propose 

1  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  283.  2  Ada.  MS.  32953,  f.  210. 

3  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  256.  4  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  5. 

5  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  3.  6  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  223. 


66      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

to  them  to  meet  together  every  three  or  four  days  and  bring 
in  the  accounts  of  their  several  colleges  as  well  as  of  their  re- 
admissions:  and  so  make  out  the  whole  list^. 
Doubtless  the  Duke  was  exacting,  and  he  was  possibly 
the  more  exacting  by  reason  of  having  to  move  in  a 
world  imperfectly  known  to  him.  Despite  the  attention 
he  had  lavished  upon  the  business  of  the  university,  he 
had  never  really  mastered  the  academic  labyrinth:  and 
to  the  end  of  his  life  he  was  never  completely  at  home 
in  Cambridge  politics.  Consequently  his  touch  was  not 
unfailing,  and  he  was  sometimes  led  by  his  ignorance 
into  serious  errors  and  miscalculations.  For  instance  he 
requested  his  friend,  Sir  Edward  Simpson,  Master  of 
Trinity  Hall,  to  persuade  his  Fellows  to  vote  for  Lord 
Royston :  and,  on  hearing  from  the  Master  that  he  had 
talked  with  five  of  his  Fellows  who  seemed  willing  to 
vote  as  requested,  he  concluded  that,  as  far  as  Trinity 
Hall  was  concerned,  all  was  going  well.  He  was  un- 
deceived by  James  Marriott,  a  Fellow  of  the  college. 

T  have  been  here  but  a  few  days'  wrote  Marriott  from 
Trinity  Hall  on  January  lOth,  1764,  'and  came  over  on  purpose 
to  confer  with  your  Grace's  friends,  and  to  give  what  little 
countenance  and  assistance  I  can,  understanding  that  Lord 
Sandwich  does  not  relax  of  his  violent  applications,  notwith- 
standing the  great  hopes  of  the  Earl  of  Hardwicke's  recovery. 
I  desired  Dr  Caryl^  to  apprise  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  of  such 
circumstances  as  seemed  to  me  somewhat  necessary  to  secure 
your  Grace's  interest  in  a  society  so  entirely  independent  of  its 
Master  as  ours  is.  The  members  of  it  will  undoubtedly  expect, 
all  of  them,  the  compliment  of  separate  applications.  For  besides 
Dr  Wynne,  Dr  Dale,  Dr  Calvert  and  the  Professor^,  none  of 
whom  positively  declare  themselves,  I  greatly  doubt  whether 
Sir  Edward  Simpson  can  fully  answer  for  his  own  nephew,  Dr 
Simpson*,  who  too  well  knows  his  uncle's  situation  to  expect 

1  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  278.  2  Master  of  Jesus. 

^  William  Ridlington,  Regius  Professor  of  Civil  Law. 

*  The  Master's  nephew,  Frank  Simpson,  had  been  elected  to  a 
Fellowship  of  Trinity  Hall  in  175 1. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      67 

anything  at  his  death,  and  has  just  now  engaged  his  vote  to  a 
candidate  for  a  much  solHcited  Fellowship  against  his  uncle's 
man.... In  this  college  the  Master  divides  only  as  a  thirteenth 
man^,  with  small  profits  of  absentees  at  Christmas:  so  that  this 
Mastership,  or  almost  Fellowship,  is  not  better  than  that  of  one 
of  our  chaplains.  He  has  no  vote  at  any  election  of  a  Fellow  or 
Scholar,  and  it  is  a  mere  complaisance  that  he  is  permitted  to 
name  college  servants^.' 

Newcastle  can  hardly  be  blamed  for  failing  to  know 
that  the  Master  of  Trinity  Hall  was  Master  in  little 
more  than  name,  and  he  must  have  been  ignorant  of 
many  other  essential  facts.  He  was  however  aware  of 
his  own  deficiencies  and  wisely  allowed  himself  to  be 
guided  by  the  Bishops  of  Norwich  and  Lincoln  and  by 
Caryl,  Master  of  Jesus;  for  they  possessed  the  know- 
ledge of  the  university  which  he  lacked.  The  Bishop  of 
Norwich  seems  to  have  laboured  with  exemplary  zeal, 
and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  he  served  God  as  faithfully  as 
he  served  the  Duke.  Writing  to  Newcastle  on  December 
5th  from  Grosvenor  Square,  he  mentions  that  he  is 
expecting  letters  from  Cambridge  and  that  he  and  the 
Bishop  of  Lincoln 

design  to  be  (having  agreed  it  this  morning)  at  Newcastle  House 
by  I  o  o'clock  to-morrow  morning,  and  there  to  be  preparing  such 
minutes  from  the  lists,  which  we  both  expect,  as  may  be  proper 
for  your  Grace's  consideration  when  you  shall  be  at  leisure  to 
see  us^. 

Three  days  later  he  writes  again  to  report  that  he  has 
heard  that  the  Master  of  Caius  has  half  engaged  him- 
self to  vote  against  Lord  Royston,  that  the  Master  of 
Peterhouse  has  'declined  promising  absolutely  that  he 
will  not  stop  Lord  Sandwich  in  the  Caput,'  and  that 
Lord  Rockingham  was  about  to  write  to  Sir  T.  Went- 
worth*.  On  December  9th  he  reported  that  he  had  had 

^  The  Trinity  Hall  Fellowships  were  twelve  in  number. 

2  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  134;  see  also  f.  66,  f.  80,  f.  loi. 

3  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  208.  4  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  136. 


68      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

another  conference  with  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  of 
which  the  result  was  'the  taking  out  of  the  lists  several 
names  to  be  written  to  by  us  and  the  enclosed  for  your 
Grace^ ' :  and,  ten  days  later,  he  is  still  struggling  with 
lists  and  lamenting  that  those  he  had  recently  received 
'do  not  enable  me  to  do  quite  what  I  wished  in  the 
transcript  of  them  which  I  proposed  sending  to  your 
Grace^.' 

It  is  difficult  not  to  be  impressed  by  the  thoroughness 
with  which  the  Bishop  executed  his  task,  and  he  com- 
bined with  great  powers  of  application  a  sound  judg- 
ment. He  fully  appreciated  the  importance  of  the 
personal  element,  and  realised  how  much  might  turn 
in  winning  votes  upon  a  knowledge  of  petty  and 
apparently  trivial  details.  Hearing  for  instance  that  a 
certain  Mr  Barker,  who  was  a  son  of  a  steward  of  the 
Duke  of  Rutland,  desired  to  be  approached  by  the 
Duke  of  Devonshire,  he  suggested  a  doubt  whether 
'the  Duke  of  Devonshire  will  think  it  proper  in  him  to 
apply  to  the  son  of  one  of  the  Duke  of  Rutland's 
stewards^':  and  sometimes  he  supplied  what  was  little 
short  of  a  family  history  of  a  particular  member  of  the 
Senate. 

'Mr  Ekins,  tutor  at  Eton  to  Lord  Carlisle'  he  informed 
Newcastle  'is  Fellow  of  King's,  as  is  his  brother.  They  are  sons 
of  Mr  Ekins,  Rector  of  Barton  in  Northamptonshire,  the  estate 
of  the  late  Bishop  of  Rochester's  son,  Mr  Wilcocks  (Joseph 
Esq.)  in  Queen  Street,  Westminster,  and  I  this  instant  recollect 
that  he  wrote  to  them  or  their  father  in  favour  of  Dr  Ewer*  to 
oblige  your  Grace.  The  new  Dean  of  Bristol's  brother.  Captain 
Barton,  married  their  sister,  which  is  a  bad  circumstance,  for  he 
and  the  other  new  Dean  of  Carlisle  are  the  most  active  agents  in 
this  town  for  the  Earl.  If  your  Grace  would  send  immediately 

1  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  263.  2  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  96. 

3  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  136. 

*  Dr  Ewer  was  an  unsuccessful  candidate  for  the  Provostship  of 
King's  in  1756. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      69 

to  the  Bishop  of  Worcester,  who,  I  believe,  goes  into  Sussex  on 
Tuesday,  he  is  a  much  better  channel  to  Mr  Wilcocks  than  I 
ami.' 

The  Bishop's  fears  were  justified,  for  both  the  Ekin 
brothers  supported  Lord  Sandwich:  but  this  was  not 
due  to  any  failure  on  his  part  to  take  trouble^.  He  was 
more  successful  in  his  suggestion  that  Samuel  Peck, 
Fellow  of  Trinity^,  should  be  approached  by  the  Duke 
of  Grafton  whose  acquaintance  he  claimed :  for  though 
Grafton,  when  appealed  to  by  Newcastle,  denied  any 
knowledge  of  Peck,  the  Bishop  proved  to  be  in  the 
right. 

'It  is  very  possible'  wrote  James  Backhouse,  Tutor  of  Trinity, 
'the  Duke  of  Grafton  may  not  recollect  Mr  Peck,  but  he  cer- 
tainly supposes  himself  known  to  his  Grace,  and  has  often  said 
to  me  if  the  Duke  of  Grafton  should  apply  for  his  vote  he  could 
not  refuse  him.  Mr  Peck  comes  from  a  place  named  Weston  or 
Weston  Green  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Euston,  and  had  once 
the  honour  of  shewing  the  chapel,  library,  etc.,  to  the  Duke 
and  Dutchess.  If  his  Grace  will  be  pleased  to  write  as  if  he  knew 
Mr  P.,  I  think  I  may  be  answerable  for  the  success  of  such 
application^' 

and  possibly  His  Grace  was  pleased  to  write,  for  Peck 
certainly  voted  for  Lord  Royston. 

Dr  Caryl,  Master  of  Jesus,  was  equally  unflagging 
in  his  zeal.  At  one  time  he  was  writing  daily  to  the 
Bishop  of  Norwich^  who  was  doubtless  deeply  indebted 
to  him  for  much  valuable  information,  and  without  his 


1  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  203. 

^  The  Bishop  of  Worcester  wrote  to  Wilcocks  who  replied  to  Lord 
Royston  that  he  had  no  influence  with  the  Ekin  brothers  and  no  wish 
to  work  against  Lord  Sandwich.  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  44. 

^  Gunning  gives  an  amusing  account  of  Peck  in  his  Reminiscences, 
II,  114-116. 

^  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  140;  see  also  f.  7,  f.  168. 

5  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  9. 


70      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

co-operation  the  Bishop  and  Newcastle  would  have 
been  very  much  in  the  dark  with  regard  to  the  situation 
at  Cambridge. 

*Pray  write  to  your  brother  immediately'  he  instructed  a 
certain  Mr  Twells  in  December  1763,  'and  secure  him  for  my 
Lord  Royston,  and  desire  him  to  let  me  know  where  he  may  be 
found  at  a  minute's  warning.  And  acquaint  my  Lord  Duke  that 
there  is  one  Mr  Johnson  of  St  John's,  who  is  preferred  by  his 
Grace,  the  Duke  of  Grafton,  and  that  we  hope  that  the  Duke  of 
Grafton  will  write  to  him.  I  have  just  now  heard,  and  I  depend 
upon  it  as  true,  that,  the  moment  the  vacancy  happens,  my  Lord 
Sandwich  will  set  out  for  Cambridge.  Communicate  this  also  to 
my  Lord  Duke^.' 

But,  if  Caryl  and  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  gave  satis- 
faction by  their  enthusiasm  and  industry,  this  was  not 
the  case  with  John  Green,  Bishop  of  Lincoln  and 
Master  of  Corpus. 

*I  am  amazed'  wrote  Newcastle  on  January  4th,  1764,  'at 
the  indifference  and  indolence  of  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln:  it  looks 
really  as  if  his  friends  and  governors,  the  Yorkes,  were  not  in 
earnest  about  it:  for  I  should  think  his  Lordship  would  never 
shew  any  backwardness  in  their  affairs^.' 

Too  much  emphasis  should  not  be  placed  upon  what 
might  only  be  a  sudden  outburst  of  temper  on  the  part 
of  Newcastle,  overwrought  by  anxiety  and  a  prey  to 
fears :  but  it  is  also  possible  that  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln 
was  infected  by  Lord  Royston's  apathy,  and  disinclined 
to  take  much  trouble  in  preparing  for  a  contest  which 
might  never  occur. 

Whatever  credit  however  is  given  to  those  who 
organised  the  campaign,  it  must  be  remembered  that 
their  efforts  would  have  been  vain  if  they  had  not  been 
able  to  depend  upon  the  co-operation  of  those  to  whom 
they  appealed  to  win  votes.  They  must  often  have 
appealed  in  vain,  but  on  the  whole  they  met  with  an 

1  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  207.  2  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  66. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      71 

encouraging  response.  The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury 
had  not  waited  to  hear  from  Newcastle  before  espousing 
Lord  Royston's  cause. 

'I  should  have  thought  myself  much  to  blame'  he  informed 
the  Duke  'if  I  had  not,  as  soon  as  ever  I  knew  the  wishes  of 
your  Grace  and  Lord  Hardwicke's  family,  endeavoured  to 
second  them.  Accordingly  I  spoke  and  wrote,  and  got  proper 
persons  to  write  or  speak,  to  as  many  as  I  could,  and  not  without 
success^.' 

The  Archbishop  of  York  was  also  a  willing  and  active 
worker  in  the  same  interest^,  and  valuable  services  were 
rendered  by  the  Duke  of  Grafton,  Charles  Townshend, 
and  the  latter's  namesake  and  cousin  who  was  dis- 
tinguished from  his  more  famous  kinsman  by  the  nick- 
name of  'Spanish  Charles^.'  'Your  Grace  may  depend,' 
wrote  Grafton  on  January  5th,  1764,  'that  I  have 
spared  no  pains  nor  persuasions  to  have  such  friends 
of  mine  at  Cambridge  (as  I  could  apply  to)  act  in  the 
manner  you  could  wish  them*' :  and  on  returning  to  his 
home,  Honingham  in  Norfolk,  towards  the  end  of 
December  1763,  Spanish  Charles  lost  no  time  in  re- 
porting to  Newcastle  that 

Mr  Duquesne,  having  heard  that  there  was  likely  to  be  a 
competition  for  the  High  Stewardship  of  Cambridge  between 
Lord  Sandwich  and  Lord  Royston,  and  taking  it  for  granted 
that  your  Grace  wished  well  to  the  latter,  had  already  applied  to 
House  and  Herring  of  King's  and  May  of  Pembroke:  he  has 
since  received  answers  from  them,  and  they  have  all  three  given 
absolute  promises  to  be  for  Lord  Royston^. 

Spanish  Charles  had  been  educated  at  Clare  College, 
as  had  also  his  more  famous  cousin;  and  the  latter  was 

1  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  31. 

-  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  212,  f.  326,  f.  338. 

^  The  famous  Charles  Townshend  was  a  younger  son  of  the  third 
Lord  Townshend  and  a  great-nephew  of  Newcastle;  'Spanish  Charles' 
was  the  son  of  a  younger  brother  of  the  third  Lord  Townshend. 

4  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  76.  ^  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  190. 


72      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

able  to  be  of  service  through  his  friendship  with  William 
Samuel  Powell  who  had  for  a  time  been  his  private 
tutor.  For  many  years  Powell  had  occupied  the  position 
of  principal  Tutor  of  St  John's  College:  and  though  in 
1 76 1  he  left  Cambridge  for  London,  and,  two  years 
later,  vacated  his  Fellowship,  he  retained  considerable 
influence  in  his  college  and  in  time  became  its  Master. 
Powell  was  also  on  friendly  terms  with  the  Vice-Chan- 
cellor, Elliston:  and  therefore  in  every  way  a  person 
whose  interest  should  be  secured  for  Royston.  The  task 
of  approaching  him  was  very  properly  assigned  by 
Newcastle  to  Charles  Townshend. 

'The  Vice-Chancellor,  I  have  reason  to  think'  urged  the 
Duke  'is  not  ill  disposed  to  me,  but  Dr  Powel  can  fix  him  if 
he  pleases:  besides  Dr  Powel  has  so  much  interest  in  St  John's 

College  that  that  would  determine  the  election  in  our  favour 

If  therefore  you  would  have  the  goodness  to  engage  Dr  Powel 
to  use  his  interest  with  the  Vice-Chancellor  to  nominate  my 
Lord  Royston,  I  am  almost  sure  the  Vice-Chancellor  will  do 
it:  and  if  the  Vice-Chancellor  names  my  Lord  Royston  to  the 
body,  I  will  defy  all  that  Lord  Sandwich  can  do^.' 

The  Duke  did  not  make  this  appeal  in  vain.  'I  have 
this  morning'  replied  Townshend  on  December  ist 
'  seen  Dr  Powell  who  has  engaged  himself  to  me  in  the 
fullest  manner.  He  will  exert  his  interest  with  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  and  in  St  John's  college^':  and  having 
done  this  good  turn,  Townshend  followed  it  up  with 
another,  reporting  on  December  loth  that  he  had 
interviewed  Professor  Disney,  'who  has  engaged  him- 
self to  Lord  Royston  and  will  do  our  cause  further 
service^.' 

Newcastle  and  his  friends  had  certainly  good  reason 

1  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  123. 

2  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  168;  see  also  f.  145. 

^  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  285;  see  also  f.  184.  Disney  was  Professor 
of  Hebrew  and  a  Fellow  of  Trinity. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      73 

to  be  unremitting  in  their  applications:  for  their 
adversary  was  industrious  and  unscrupulous.  Sandwich 
was  both  intelligent  and  well  practised  in  the  game  of 
eighteenth  century  politics:  and  he  realised,  quite  as 
fully  as  Newcastle,  that  victory  could  not  be  achieved 
without  hard  work.  He  did  not  under-rate  the  difficulties 
confronting  him,  and  used  to  the  full  the  advantages  he 
possessed.  In  certain  respects  he  was  in  a  far  stronger 
position  than  his  adversary.  As  the  candidate  supported 
by  the  court  and  the  government,  he  was  able  to 
promise  those  who  were  prepared  to  assist  him  that 
they  would  enjoy  the  material  benefits  of  the  favour  of 
the  crown,  and  to  intimidate  those  who  refused  him 
their  votes  with  the  threat  of  being  excluded  from 
participating  in  the  royal  and  ministerial  patronage.  He 
could  also  rely  upon  the  active  assistance  of  at  least 
some  of  his  colleagues  in  the  cabinet.  Before  the  end 
of  the  first  week  of  December  a  certain  Trinity  master 
of  arts  had  received  two  letters  from  the  Duke  of 
Bedford  and  one  from  the  Lord  Chancellor,  urging 
him  to  vote  for  Sandwich^.  In  January  1764  it  was 
reported  that  Sir  James  Lowther  had  written  to  the 
Master  of  Peterhouse  to  inform  him  'that  the  King  has 
ordered  Sir  James  to  write  to  Dr  Law  in  favour  of  Lord 
Sandwich,  and  to  tell  him  that  the  King  will  certainly 
take  care  of  Dr  Law^.'  Edward  Barnard,  Headmaster 
and  later  Provost  of  Eton,  who  nowadays  is  remem- 
bered as  the  only  man  who  ever  did  justice  to  Dr  John- 
son's good  breeding,  is  reported  as  resisting  'repeated 
applications  and  remonstrances  with  a  manly  spirit  that 
does  him  honour^,'  and  we  hear  that  the  Bishop  of 
London,  who  was  working  for  Sandwich,  'applied 
strongly  to  the  Whitehall  Preachers,  and  Dr  Gisbourn, 
the  Physician  of  the  Household,  has  been  told  that  his 

^  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  223.  2  Ajjj_  ]y[s_  32955,  f.  259. 

3  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  84. 


74      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

refusal  to  vote  as  commanded  might  have  disagreeable 
consequences^.'  It  was  also  rumoured  that  'poor  Kelly 
(of  Jesus  college  and  the  late  Mr  Pointz's  nephew)  is 
turned  out  of  a  small  but  to  him  necessary  employment 
for  engaging  for  Lord  Royston^,'  and  that  Mr  Lush- 
ington  of  Peterhouse,  who  had  also  declared  in  favour 
of  Royston,  had  been  summoned,  as  a  punishment,  to 
join  the  regiment  in  Ireland  of  which  he  was  the 
chaplain^. 

These  stories  must  be  accepted  with  reserve  as  they 
come  from  those  who  were  anxious  to  think  the  very 
worst  of  Sandwich,  but  it  is  unlikely  that  the  betrayer 
of  Wilkes  was  morbidly  scrupulous  in  his  electioneering 
methods.  Newcastle  probably  had  some  justification 
for  complaining,  early  in  December,  that  '  such  shameful 
measures  are  taken  that  ought  not  to  be  practised  in 
the  meanest,  most  ignorant  borough  in  the  kingdom*' : 
but  the  Duke  might  not  have  been  so  shocked  if  the 
shameful  measures  had  not  seemed  so  likely  to  be 
successful. 

'I  am  sorry  to  say'  he  wrote  on  December  8th  'that  some 
of  the  oldest  and,  I  thought,  most  virtuous  part  of  the  university 
say  that  my  Lord  Sandwich  might  make  a  very  good  High 
Steward,  though  he  would  make  a  very  bad  bishop^,' 

and  the  Duke  had  good  reason  to  be  dismayed  at  the 
progress  Sandwich  was  making.  Like  Newcastle  he 
had  procured  lists  '  not  only  of  all  the  voters  but  likewise 
of  most  of  their  connections^,'  and  having  been  the 
first  to  begin  an  active  canvass,  it  was  often  found  that 
he  had  anticipated  his  rival  in  an  application  for  a  vote. 
One  of  Sandwich's  most  active  supporters  in  Cambridge 
was  the  Master  of  Trinity  who  eagerly  canvassed  his 
college  on  his  patron's  behalf.  There  is  no  doubt  that 

1  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  84.  2  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  313. 

3  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  259.  *  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  227. 

^  Ibid.  6  Ajj_  MS.  32953,  f.  240. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      75 

he  was  extremely  active^;  and  though  John  Pigott,  one 
of  the  Fellows,  was  guilty  of  exaggeration  in  declaring 
on  November  30th  that  the  Master  had  already  engaged 
'most  of  the  votes  in  this  house^,'  there  was  a  serious 
danger  of  this  statement  becoming  true.  But  Trinity 
has  always  been  inclined  to  resent  being  ruled  from  the 
Lodge,  and  a  Newcastle  party  arose  in  the  college  with 
the  Tutor,  James  Backhouse,  at  its  head.  Between  the 
two  camps  feeling  ran  so  high  that  Pigott  suspected 
a  brother  Fellow  of  an  intention  to  search  the  college 
letter-box  in  order  to  discover  the  address  of  an 
absentee^;  and  it  seems  that  a  good  deal  of  this  bitter- 
ness was  caused  by  the  Master's  tyrannical  methods. 
Indeed  only  a  ludicrous  blunder,  made  by  the  Vice- 
Master,  saved  one  of  the  Fellows,  William  Preston, 
from  being  punished  for  his  principles  by  financial  loss. 

'The  Master'  wrote  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  on  December 
19th  'is  confined  by  gout  to  his  bed,  and  he  sent  for  Preston 
thither  on  Thursday  night  to  try  once  more  if  the  loss  of  his 
stewardship  would  frighten  him  out  of  his  integrity.  In  vain. 
So  Dr  Walker  was  directed  to  elect  another  person  the  next 
morning.  Poor  Walker's  head  was  too  weak  for  this  business, 
and  so,  instead  of  declaring  the  Master's  resentment  against 
Preston,  he  actually  proposed  him  to  the  Seniority  to  be  elected 
steward.  They  in  their  obsequiousness  supposed  either  that 
Preston  had  yielded  or  the  Master  altered  his  mind:  and  accord- 
ingly he  was  unanimously  chosen.    The  Master  blustered  and 

^  John  Fuller  and  Fountaine,  who  had  been  elected  into  Fellowships 
in  1762  but  were  no  longer  in  residence,  both  received  letters  from  the 
Master  asking  them  to  vote  for  Sandwich.  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  196, 
f.  210. 

2  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  133. 

^  Pigott  communicated  his  suspicion  to  George  Onslow,  but  the 
paper  on  which  the  letter  is  written  is  very  worn  and  some  words 
have  disappeared.  Enough  remains  however  to  make  it  possible  to 
understand  the  general  drift  of  the  communication.  Add.  MS.  32953, 
f.  222. 


76      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

declared  he  should  not  be  sworn  into  his  office,  but  that  was 
impossible  as  he  was  statutably  elected.  So  poor  Frog^  is  in 
infinite  disgrace  at  the  Lodge.  It  happened  that  the  whole 
society  resolved  to  meet  that  day  after  dinner  to  drink  Mr 
Luther's  health ^j  and  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon  much 
indignation  arose  against  the  Master's  violence.  Meredith  said 
he  had  indeed  promised,  but  his  hand  should  rot  off  before  it 
wrote  a  suffrage  for  Sandwich.  Powell  and  others  blustered  to 
the  same  purpose:  and  one,  whose  name  I  have  not,  to  shew 
what  his  conduct  would  be,  notwithstanding  his  forced  engage- 
ment, actually  betted  five  guineas  that  Lord  Sandwich  would 
not  be  High  Steward^.' 

Hence  there  was  war  in  Trinity,  and  the  Master, 
who  had  done  his  cause  no  good  by  his  violent  and 
high-handed  methods,  still  further  alienated  the  sym- 
pathy of  the  college  by  committing  a  bad  tactical 
mistake. 

'Indeed'  reported  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  'they  are  all  dis- 
posed to  go  back,  the  Master  and  his  Vice-Master  having  in 
their  great  prudence  chosen  this  particular  season  to  propose 
lowering  their  dividends,  in  which  proposal  they  did  not  succeed*.' 

But  undaunted  by  the  opposition  he  was  evoking,  Dr 
Smith  continued  his  campaign:  and  when  he  was 
commanded  by  Sir  Edward  Walpole^,  to  whom  he  had 
dedicated  one  of  his  books,  to  'recall  all  the  force  and 

^  Dr  Walker  was  known  as  'Frog  Walker'  from  having  once  held 
a  curacy  in  the  Fens. 

^  Luther  was  a  Trinity  master  of  arts  who  had  recently  been 
elected  to  parliament  for  the  county  of  Essex.  'The  effect  of  Lord 
Sandwich's  conduct  began  already  to  be  felt.  He,  having  to  thwart 
the  Duke  of  Cumberland  who  espoused  Mr  Luther,  taken  the  opposite 
side  on  the  election  for  the  county  of  Essex,  the  court  lost  the  election 
by  dint  of  Sandwich's  unpopularity.'  Walpole's  Memoirs  of  the  Reign 
of  George  III  (edited  by  G.  F.  Russell  Barker),  p.  267. 

^  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  96.  It  is  recorded  in  the  Admission  Book  of 
the  college  that  Preston  was  admitted  into  the  office  of  Steward  on 
December  17th,  1763.  ^  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  136. 

^  A  younger  son  of  Sir  Robert  Walpole. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      77 

constraint  he  had  put  upon  his  Fellows^,'  he  only  gave 
an  evasive  answer^. 

As  far  as  one  can  tell,  however,  Dr  Smith  seems  to 
have  confined  his  operations  to  his  own  college  and  to 
have  done  little  outside  it.  Sandwich's  leading  sup- 
porters and  organisers  in  the  university  were  Dr  Long, 
Master  of  Pembroke,  Dr  Brooke,  Tutor  of  St  John's, 
and  Lawrence  Brockett,  Fellow  of  Trinity  and  Regius 
Professor  of  Modern  History^:  but  as  the  Master  of 
Pembroke  was  over  eighty,  it  is  likely  that  Brockett 
and  Brooke  bore  the  burden  of  the  work.  The  Masters 
of  Clare  and  Caius  and  the  Provost  of  King's  were  also 
supporters  of  Sandwich,  though  the  Master  of  Caius 
was  by  no  means  enthusiastic  in  the  cause*;  but  among 
Heads  of  Houses  Newcastle  possessed  and  retained  to 
the  end  a  small  majority.  The  Masters  of  St  John's, 
Jesus,  Magdalene,  Corpus,  Christ's,  Peterhouse,  Trinity 
Hall  and  the  President  of  Queens'  had  all  pledged 
themselves  to  support  Royston,  and  Dr  Richardson, 
the  Master  of  Emmanuel,  though  his  sympathies  were 
with  the  government,  had  given  a  similar  undertaking, 
in  acknowledgment  of  valuable  legal  services  rendered 
him  by  Royston's  brother,  Charles  Yorke;  though  he 
was  unable  to  go  so  far  as  to  canvass  for  the  candidate 
for  whom  he  had  promised  to  vote^.  The  Vice-Chan- 

1  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  96.  2  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  136. 

^  Gray's  Letters  in,  31-34.  ^  Add.  MS.  32953,  f.  238. 

^  'When  the  precentorship  of  Lincoln .  .  .  became  vacant  on  1 8  May 
1756,  Richardson  claimed  it  and  filed  a  bill  in  chancery  against  Arch- 
deacon John  Chapman,  another  claimant.  Henley,  the  Lord  Keeper, 
gave  a  decision  in  November  1759  against  Richardson  who,  under 
the  advice  of  Charles  Yorke,  appealed  to  the  house  of  lords.  On 
18  February  1760,  after  a  trial  lasting  three  days,  the  case  was  decided, 
mainly  through  the  influence  of  Lord  Mansfield,  in  his  favour.' 
Dictionary  of  National  Biography.  In  a  letter  to  Newcastle,  dated 
December  19th,  1763,  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  refers  to  the  'coldness 
and  indifference  of  the  Master  of  Emmanuel  who  contents  himself 


78      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

cellor  had  not  pledged  himself  to  support  either  candidate, 
but  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  1764  the  general 
opinion  in  the  university  was  that  he  was  anxious  for 
Royston's  success.  It  was  reported  that  *at  dinner  on 
Christmas  day  the  Vice-Chancellor  added  to  the  usual 
healths  "may  the  university  know  its  own  interests." 
Somebody  desired  leave  (I  don't  know  who)  to  correct 
it  by  altering  one  word  and  making  it  "its  old  interests" 
and  the  amendment  was  accepted,  and  so  it  went  round^.' 

Yet  though  he  was  able  to  count  upon  a  majority 
among  Heads  of  Houses,  and  though  the  Vice-Chan- 
cellor seemed  to  be  inclining  in  his  favour,  Newcastle 
was  very  far  from  being  satisfied  or  confident  of  victory. 
He  did  not  consider  that  his  friends  at  Cambridge  were 
as  active  as  they  might  and  should  be,  and  he  probably 
was  disappointed  in  Lord  Royston  as  a  candidate.  It  is 
true  that  Royston  was  in  a  difficult  position,  for  he 
naturally  did  not  wish  to  lay  himself  open  to  the 
accusation  of  heartlessly  anticipating  his  father's  death; 
but  he  might  have  displayed  more  enthusiasm  without 
incurring  the  charge  of  unfilial  conduct.  It  was  not 
until  December  3rd  that  he  communicated  to  the 
university  his  desire  to  succeed  his  father  as  High 
Steward;  and  it  was  unfortunate  that  this  communica- 
tion was  made  not  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  but  to  Dr 
Plumptre,  President  of  Queens',  who  as  rector  of 
Wimpole  was  on  intimate  terms  with  the  Hardwicke 
family^.  At  the  instigation  of  Dr  Plumptre,  who  pointed 
out  that  the  Vice-Chancellor  'seemed  to  me  to  expect 
to  hear  from  your  Lordship  on  the  occasion^,'  Royston 
with  giving  his  own  vote  in  return  for  Mr  Yorke's  securing  him  the 
whole  house  of  lords';  and  two  days  later  the  Bishop  reports  that 
'Mr  Backhouse  confirms  the  Master  of  Emmanuel's  coldness,  and  tells 
me  he  has  told  him  (Backhouse)  that  he  has  not  asked  one  of  his  Fellows.' 
Add.  MS.  32954,  f  96,  f  136. 

1  Add.  MS.  32955,  f  64.  2  Add.  MS.  35628,  f  2. 

3    Ibid. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      79 

later  repaired  his  error  and  formally  communicated  his 
intentions  to  Elliston^;  but  this  was  not  an  auspicious 
beginning  of  his  candidature.  He  was  moreover  in- 
clined to  take  for  granted  that  men  should  labour  in 
his  interests;  and  it  is  characteristic  of  him  that  he 
omitted  to  recognise  the  very  valuable  assistance 
rendered  by  the  Bishop  of  Norwich.  'As  to  the  Yorke 
family'  wrote  the  Bishop  to  Newcastle  on  January  4th, 
1764,  *it  has  so  happened  that  I  never  in  my  life  had 
the  honour  of  a  visit  from  any  one  of  them,  no,  not 
even  a  congratulation  upon  my  first  promotion  to  the 
Bench^';  and  though  the  Duke  succeeded  in  extracting 
something  approaching  an  expression  of  gratitude  from 
Royston,  the  Bishop  refused  to  be  pacified. 

'I  have  read'  he  wrote  to  Newcastle  on  January  9th,  1764, 
'  your  Grace's  most  affectionate  letter  to  my  Lord  Royston  and  I 
have  read  his  Lordship's  answer,  in  which  I  have  sought  in 
vain  for  many  things  which  I  thought  should  have  been  there, 
and  in  particular  for  some  idea  of  thankfulness  to  your  Grace. 
...This,  I  say,  I  have  sought  in  vain,  having,  in  my  diligent 
scrutiny  for  it,  only  found  a  few  words  in  the  stile  of  a  kingly 
answer  to  an  address,  declaring  that  his  Lordship  "has  no  doubt 
of  the  zeal,  sincerity  and  services  of  all  those  persons"  of  whom 
your  Grace  was  pleased  to  make  such  honourable  mention^.' 

Newcastle  had  anxieties  beyond  the  deficiencies  of 
Royston  as  a  candidate,  and  he  was  probably  more 
disturbed  by  the  cunning  of  his  adversaries  than  by  the 
shortcomings  of  his  friends.  He  knew  that  those  against 
whom  he  was  matched  would  stick  at  nothing  to  gain 
their  end,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  discovered  how 
little  they  were  hampered  by  restrictive  prejudices. 
Shortly  after  the  beginning  of  the  contest  the  Sand- 

1  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  42. 

^  The  Bishop  excepted  from  this  condemnation  'the  illustrious  head 
of  that  family,  whose  condescension  has  always  been  as  conspicuous 
as  his  abilities.'  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  64. 

3  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  126. 


8o      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

wich  party  made  an  attempt  to  swell  its  number  by  a 
device  which  Newcastle  and  his  friends  regarded  as 
unfair.  The  constitution  of  the  university  provided  that 
only  those  doctors  and  masters  of  arts  whose  names 
were  on  the  books  of  a  college  could  vote  in  the 
Senate,  and  though  it  was  always  possible  for  a  former 
member  of  the  university  to  replace  his  name  on  his 
college  books,  no  master  of  arts  thus  re-admitted  was 
entitled  to  a  vote  in  the  Senate  until  three  months 
after  the  date  of  his  re-admission^.  As  university  struggles 
were  commonly  brief  in  duration,  it  was  unusual  for 
masters  of  arts,  who  had  removed  their  names,  to  be 
asked  to  replace  them  in  order  to  qualify  for  a  vote; 
and  doubtless  the  three  months  rule  was  designed  to 
prevent  the  practice.  But  realising  perhaps  that  Lord 
Hardwicke  was  not  so  near  death  as  at  one  time  had 
been  thought,  and  that  the  election  of  a  new  High 
Steward  might  not  take  place  for  some  months,  the 
leaders  of  the  Sandwich  party  decided  to  encourage 
the  re-admission  of  masters  of  arts.  Consequently  on 
November  30th  Lord  Carysfort,  who  was  a  friend  of 
Sandwich,  replaced  his  name  on  the  books  of  his  college; 
and  although  for  some  days  afterwards  no  other  master 
of  arts  was  re-admitted,  the  alarm  was  given. 

'Spanish  Charles  Townsend'  wrote  Thomas  Townshend  on 
December  i8th  'desires  me  to  acquaint  your  Grace  that  he  has 
offered  himself  to  be  admitted  at  Clare  Hall  but  has  been  refused 
by  Dr  Goddard^  who  refuses  all  admissions  at  this  time  indis- 
criminately. The  Master  of  Queens'  has  offered  to  admit  him. 
He  wishes  to  know  your  Grace's  opinion  whether  he  should 
accept  that  offer  or  not^.' 

This  was  not  an  easy  question  for  Newcastle  to 
answer.  There  was  a  difficulty  in  determining  whether 

^  Doctors,  who  replaced  their  names  on  the  college  books,  became 
at  once  entitled  to  a  vote. 

2  The  Master  of  Clare.  3  ^dd.  MS.  32954,  f.  84. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      8i 

Carysfort's  re-admission  was  an  isolated  incident  or  the 
first  of  a  series,  and  a  policy  of  retaliation  presented  the 
obvious  danger  of  driving  the  Sandwich  party  to  further 
extremes.  Consequently  the  Duke  hesitated  to  express 
an  opinion,  but  there  was  no  hesitation  with  the  Bishop 
of  Norwich  who  was  strongly  opposed  to  the  adoption 
of  a  re-admission  policy.  'Lord  Carysfort'  he  urged 
*  began  the  unfair  business  of  re-admissions,  but  it  has 
gone  no  farther  on  their  side  and  I  think  should  not 
be  attempted  on  ours^.'  Unfortunately  however  Spanish 
Charles  had  not  waited  for  an  answer,  having  placed 
his  name  on  the  books  of  Queens'  on  December  i6th^; 
and  within  the  next  few  days  four  followers  of  Sand- 
wich were  re-admitted^.  Both  parties  were  therefore 
committed  to  the  policy,  and  though  it  is  possible  to 
argue  that,  if  it  had  not  been  for  Townshend's  pre- 
cipitate action,  Carysfort's  admission  would  not  have 
been  followed  up,  this  is  no  more  than  an  assumption; 
and  it  is  more  probable  that  Sandwich  and  his  friends 
were  either  waiting  to  see  how  much  they  were  likely 
to  gain  by  the  adoption  of  such  measures  or  intended 
to  obtain  the  re-admission  of  their  friends  gradually  and 
by  degrees,  in  the  hope  of  what  they  were  doing  passing 
unnoticed.  It  is  at  least  certain  that  the  Newcastle 
party  would  have  willingly  refrained.  '  I  am  sorry  for 
the  re-admissions,'  wrote  the  Duke  on  December  28th, 
'I  am  sure  they  will  turn  out  against  us;  but  however, 
as  the  others  go  on,  we  must  in  our  own  defence  go 
on  too*.' 

It  is  a  sign  of  weakness  to  allow  your  rival  to  dictate 
your  policy;  but  though  Newcastle  might  succumb  to 
what  he  deemed  the  logic  of  hard  facts,  his  friends  at 
Cambridge  were  more  resourceful.  They  declined  to  be 

1  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  136.  2  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  260. 

3  Ibid.  4  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  278. 


82      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

impaled  upon  either  horn  of  the  dilemma  presented  by 
the  enemy,  and  devised  a  means  of  escape. 

'Amongst  other  means  used  on  both  sides  to  increase  their 
numbers,'  wrote  the  President  of  Queens'  to  Royston  on 
December  29th,  'one  has  been  to  re-admit  masters  of  arts 
who  have  left  the  uni\ersity  and  taken  their  names  out,  and 
then  in  three  months  after  such  re-admission  they  enjoy  again  the 
privilege  of  a  vote  in  the  Senate.  This  was  about  being  carried 
to  such  a  length  that  it  was  thought  much  confusion  and  detri- 
ment would  ensue  to  the  university  from  it;  and  much  trouble 
and  expence  would  certainly  have  been  occasioned  to  those  who 
were  to  have  been  brought  up  from  all  parts.  A  Grace  therefore 
was  yesterday  proposed  by  some  of  our  friends  at  St  John's^  to 
prolong  the  time  for  a  twelvemonth  for  all  who  should  be  re- 
admitted, after  the  passing  of  that  Grace,  before  they  should 
have  a  right  of  voting.  Some  altercation  followed  thereupon  on 
the  first  reading,  but  a  little  before  the  second  reading  this  day 
proposals  were  made  that  whereas  it  appeared  that  in  the  whole 
of  these  admissions,  which  amounted  then  in  all  to  twenty-three, 
your  Lordship  had  five  more  than  Lord  Sandwich,  there  should 
be  five  more  admitted  on  his  side  to  make  a  ballance,  and  then 
that  this  Grace  should  pass.  The  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  who  is  here 
at  present,  was  consulted  on  this  head,  and,  as  they  did  me  the 
honour  of  consulting  me  also,  I  said  that  the  proposal  was  in  my 
opinion  a  very  equitable  one  and  for  the  peace  and  good  of  the 
universitv,  and  ventured  to  sav  I  did  not  doubt  vour  Lordship's 
approbation  of  it.  On  conferring  afterwards  with  the  Bishop  of 
Lincoln  and  others  of  your  Lordship's  friends,  we  all  agreed 
that  it  ought  to  be  embraced,  and,  being  thus  settled,  the  Grace 
passed  without  any  opposition,  and  is  I  think  a  very  salutary 
measure  upon  the  whole  and  I  believe  rather  advantageous  to 
us,  as  orders  were  issued  from  the  enemy's  quarter  to  pour  in  all 
the  recruits  of  this  sort  which  could  be  raised.  Mr  Ludlam  of 
St  John's,  a  fiist  friend  of  your  Lordship,  was  the  principal 
negotiator  of  this  treaty-.' 

1  The  Grace  was  brought  forward  by  William  Abbot  who  is  des- 
cribed by  Newcastle  as  'the  great  Tutor  at  St  John's.'  Add.  MS.  32954, 
f.  307.   He  became  Tutor  in  1 76 1. 

2  Add.   MS.   35628,  £3;  Add.   MS.   32954,  f.  288.   Writing  on 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      83 

This  readiness  on  the  part  of  Lord  Royston's  sup- 
porters to  treat  with  their  opponents  suggests  that  they 
were  by  no  means  in  a  position  of  commanding  strength, 
and  it  is  probable  that  they  were  unable  to  count  with 
any  confidence  upon  a  numerical  superiority  among  the 
resident  members  of  the  Senate.  They  must  have  been 
still  more  doubtful  of  their  strength  among  the  non- 
resident voters.  Indeed  by  the  end  of  the  year  1763  the 
canvass  had  not  really  made  substantial  progress.  A 
list  sent  by  the  President  of  Queens'  to  Lord  Royston 
on  December  29th  gives  one  hundred  and  nineteen 
votes  to  Royston,  seventy-nine  to  Sandwich,  and  nearly 
two  hundred  and  fifty  as  unknown^;  and  with  such  a 
wide  margin  of  uncertainty  clearly  anything  like  an 
accurate  calculation  was  impossible.  The  President 
moreover  does  not  discriminate  between  regents  and 
non-regents  or  between  doctors  and  masters  of  arts; 
but,  inasmuch  as  a  High  Steward  was  not  elected  by 
the  undivided  Senate  but  appointed  by  a  Grace  passed 
by  the  two  houses,  such  a  discrimination  was  essential 
for  a  reliable  forecast.  The  omission  is  repaired  in  three 
lists  submitted  to  Newcastle  by  the  Bishop  of  Norwich 
about  the  same  time.  The  first  list  contains  the  names 
of  fifty-four  'doctors  of  more  than  two  years  standing 
and  therefore  regents  or  non-regents  at  pleasure';  and 
of  these  twenty-five  are  marked  as  voting  for  Royston, 
twelve  as  voting  for  Sandwich,  and  seventeen  as  un- 
certain-. The  second  list  contains  the  names  of  two 
hundred  and  twenty  non-regent  masters;  and  though 
Royston  is  given  a  majority  of  about  twenty  over  Sand- 
wich,   nearly   half  the   voters    named   on    the   list   are 

December  28th  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  mentions  that  the  Grace  was 
to  be  read  for  the  first  time  on  the  following  day;  but  this  appears  to 
be  wrong.  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  274.  For  a  list  of  re-admissions  see 
Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  260. 

^  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  290.  2  /^jj_  ;;^/[5_  32954,  f.  178. 


84      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

marked  as  uncertain^.  The  third  list  contains  the 
names  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  regent  doctors  and 
masters,  and  of  these  one  hundred  and  two  are  given 
as  uncertain^. 

There  is  no  reason  to  think  that  Sandwich  was  any- 
better  informed;  and  probably  a  good  many  voters 
were  shy  of  committing  themselves  before  seeing  clearly 
which  way  victory  was  inclining.  But  about  the  begin- 
ning of  the  year  1764  it  seemed  as  though  the  toil  of 
the  canvass  had  been  undergone  in  vain,  and  that 
Sandwich's  hope  of  becoming  High  Steward  was  to  be 
dashed  to  the  ground  by  Lord  Hardwicke's  recovery. 
*  There  is  the  greatest  reason  to  hope '  wrote  Newcastle 
on  January  5th  'that  by  the  blessing  of  God  the 
vacancy  will  not  happen^';  and  by  the  beginning  of 
February  Hardwicke  had  so  far  rallied  as  to  be  allowed 
to  receive  a  visit  from  his  old  friend. 

'I  saw  yesterday'  wrote  Newcastle  on  February  2nd  'a  most 
surprizing  but  most  agreeable  sight.  My  great  and  valuable 
friend,  my  Lord  Hardwicke,  who,  after  four  months  confine- 
ment for  a  most  painful  and  dangerous  disease,  is  at  his  age  so 
far  recovered  as  to  be  able  to  come  down  stairs;  his  looks  and 
voice  almost  the  same  they  ever  were,  his  spirits  and  vigour  of 
speech  almost  the  same;  and  no  other  complaint  at  present  but 
great  weakness  of  body  and  inability  to  walk  without  assistance, 
which  by  the  advance  of  the  season  and  proper  exercise  I  hope 
in  God  will  soon  be  removed*.' 

Convinced  that  Lord  Hardwicke  had  been  snatched 
from  the  jaws  of  death,  Newcastle  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  Cambridge  contest  was  over,  and  testified 
to  his  belief  by  writing  letters  of  thanks  to  his  leading 
supporters  and  the  Vice-Chancellor^.  He  soon  found 
however    that    Sandwich   was  very   pessimistic   about 

1  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  181.  2  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  186. 

3  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  82.  4  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  474. 

5  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  148,  f.  156,  f.  158,  f.  160,  f.  162,  f.  180, 
f.  182,  f.  184. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      85 

Hardwicke's  chance  of  complete  recovery  and  was 
therefore  carrying  on  his  campaign  for  the  High 
Stewardship.  Consequently  the  Duke  was  compelled  to 
call  upon  his  friends  in  the  university  to  renew  their 
efforts. 

Upon  the  great  and  happy  recovery  of  my  most  valuable 
friend,  my  Lord  Hardwicke,  our  present  High  Steward,  I  was 
in  hopes  that  that  would  have  put  an  entire  stop  to  the  present 
contest  at  Cambridge  and  have  restored  peace  and  good  harmony 
amongst  us;  but  as  I  am  well  informed  that  on  the  contrary 
the  opposite  party  are  still  pursuing  with  more  violence,  warmth 
and  activity  than  ever,  I  must  recommend  it  most  earnestly  to 
my  friends,  and  those  who  have  a  regard  to  my  Lord  Hardwicke 
and  his  family,  to  redouble  their  application  and  to  exert  all 
honourable  means  of  adding  strength  to  that  cause,  to  which  so 
many  of  thern  have  to  their  everlasting  honour  manifested  so 
zealous  and  so  truly  virtuous  an  attachment^. 

It  was  well  these  instructions  were  issued,  for  about 
a  week  later  Lord  Hardwicke  had  a  relapse  from  which 
he  never  recovered.  On  March  4th  he  was  reported  to 
be  sinking,  and  two  days  later  he  died^.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  Newcastle  was  genuinely  distressed  by  the 
death  of  one  who  had  been  his  friend  and  counsellor 
for  many  years,  but  he  did  not  permit  his  private  grief 
to  diminish  his  public  activities.  It  was  now  certain 
that  the  university  must  appoint  a  new  High  Steward, 
and  Newcastle  was  as  determined  as  ever  to  secure  the 
succession  for  the  son  of  his  old  friend.  Yet  he  well 
knew  that  success  was  uncertain  and  that  he  was 
matched  against  a  mightier  antagonist  than  he  had  ever 
before  encountered  in  an  university  contest.  'My judg- 
ment upon  the  whole'  wrote  the  Master  of  Jesus  on 
March  7th  'is  that  it  will  be  a  very  difficult  point  to 
carry,  as  we  outnumber  them  by  so  few  and  are  in  the 
dark  about  so  many*^';  but  the  Duke  was  too  experi- 
1  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  474.  2  Adj_  MS.  32956,  f.  206. 

3  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  256. 


86      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

enced  a  politician  to  allow  despair  to  damp  his  ardour. 
Directly  he  heard  of  Hardwicke's  death  he  despatched 
two  letters  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  by  a  special  messenger 
who  was  instructed  *to  ride  all  night,  to  be  at  Cambridge 
to-morrow  morning  by  seven  o'clock^.'  In  one  letter 
he  asked  that  the  date  of  the  election  might  be  so  fixed 
as  to  allow  'those  of  the  members  of  the  university,  who 
are  at  a  great  distance,  to  attend,  and  expressed  a  hope 
that  the  Vice-Chancellor  would  prove  'a  friend  to  me 
and  to  the  interests  of  the  son  of  that  incomparable 
person  whose  loss  I  can  never  sufficiently  lament^.' 
The  other  letter  has  not  survived,  but  its  contents  can 
be  gathered  from  a  subsequent  epistle  of  the  Duke.  '  I 
cannot'  he  wrote  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  'express  the 
sense  I  have  of  your  kind  intention  to  nominate  the 
present  Earl  of  Hardwicke  to  succeed  that  great  and 
valuable  man,  his  father,  in  the  High  Stewardship  of 
our  university^';  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  was 
genuinely  delighted  with  the  success  of  his  application. 
Hitherto  the  Vice-Chancellor  had  refrained  from 
identifying  himself  with  either  party;  and  although  he 
was  suspected  of  antagonism  to  Sandwich,  he  had  not 
given  clear  proof  of  such  a  sentiment.  It  was  however 
his  duty  as  Vice-Chancellor  to  bring  forward  the  Grace 
for  the  appointment  of  a  new  High  Steward*;  and,  by 
deciding  that  the  Grace  should  be  for  the  appointment 
of  the  new  Lord  Hardwicke,  he  undoubtedly  gave  that 
candidate  an  advantage.  To  be  first  in  nomination  was 
not  to  make  certain  of  victory  but,  like  winning  the 
toss  in  the  boat-race,  it  might  just  turn  the  scale  in  an 

1  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  234.  On  March  5th  Newcastle  had  conferred 
with  the  Bishops  of  Lincoln  and  Norwich;  and  probably  the  measures, 
to  be  taken  immediately  after  Hardwicke's  death,  were  decided  upon 
at  this  meeting. 

2  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  232.  3  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  254. 
4  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  75. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      87 

even  contest.  Though  convinced  supporters  of  Sand- 
wich would  oppose  the  Grace,  those  members  of  the 
Senate  who  inclined  to  neutrality  would  be  disposed 
to  support  it  in  the  hope  of  avoiding  a  prolongation  of 
the  struggle;  and  Newcastle  by  no  means  under-rated 
the  favour  conferred. 

'The  Vice-Chancellor'  he  declared  'a  young  gentleman  of 
character  and  merit,  unpensioned,  undignified,  unbiassed  by 
promises  or  threats,  has  acted  the  greatest  part  that  ever  man  did, 
kept  his  resolution  to  himself,  none  of  us  knew  what  it  would 
be;  and,  when  the  vacancy  was  made,  then  declared  publicly 
that  he  intended  (as  is  our  form)  to  nominate  the  present  Earl 
of  Hardwicke  to  succeed  his  great  and  meritorious  father^.' 

It  also  rested  with  the  Vice-Chancellor  to  name  the 
day  for  the  Grace  to  be  voted  upon  by  the  Senate;  and 
Newcastle  was  particularly  anxious  that  his  friends  in 
distant  parts  of  the  country  should  be  allowed  sufficient 
time  to  reach  Cambridge,  and  that  the  day  chosen 
should  not  clash  with  an  ordination  which  the  Bishop 
of  Lincoln  had  arranged  to  hold  at  his  palace  at  Buck- 
den^.  After  consulting  Lord  Hardwicke's  supporters, 
the  Vice-Chancellor  announced  the  election  for  Thurs- 
day March  22  nd,  but  though  this  date  was  apparently 
quite  convenient  to  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln^,  it  was  too 
near  in  point  of  time  to  meet  with  the  approval  of 
Newcastle  who  complained  that  'it  will  be  impossible 
for  us  to  give  timely  notice  to  our  friends  of  the 
election"*.'  It  was  in  vain  however  that  he  appealed  for 
an  extension  of  time;  the  Vice-Chancellor  pointed  out 
that  the  day  he  had  selected  had  been  approved  by 
Hardwicke's  supporters,  that  the  announcement  had 
been  communicated  to  the  Masters  and  Tutors  of  the 

1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  5. 

2  Add.    MS.    32956,   f.  254.    Buckden   is   about  four   miles   from 
Huntingdon. 

3  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  277.  4  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  312. 


88      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

colleges,  and  through  them  to  the  absent  electors,  and 

that 

if  after  this  any  alteration  should  be  made  in  the  time,  it  would 

certainly  give  those  persons  who  are  in  the  interest  of  Lord 

Sandwich  an  occasion,  whether  just  or  not,  to  complain  of  my 

conduct  as  a  magistrate^. 

In  spite  therefore  of  his  anxiety  for  Hardwicke's 
success,  the  Vice-Chancellor  was  not  prepared  to 
sacrifice  everything  to  partisanship;  and  though,  as  will 
be  seen  later,  the  election  was  ultimately  postponed  for 
a  week,  this  was  not  the  result  of  Newcastle's  plea 
but  of  a  grave  tactical  blunder  on  the  part  of  Lord 
Sandwich's  friends. 

The  situation,  though  not  desperate,  was  by  no 
means  favourable^;  and  it  was  apparently  Dr  Powell, 
Charles  Townshend's  old  tutor,  who  expressed  the 
opinion  that  the  time  had  come  for  the  despatch  of  a 
special  emissary  to  Cambridge  to  assist  in  the  canvass. 
In  communicating  the  suggestion  to  Newcastle,  Towns- 
hend  quoted  Powell  as  saying 

how  absolutely  necessary  it  is  your  Grace  should  have  a  friend, 
considerable  in  himself  and  acceptable  to  the  university,  and  a 
person  of  activity  and  quickness,  present  at  the  university  to 
animate,  conduct,  and  lead  your  party^, 

and  the  Duke,  taking  the  hint,  asked  Charles  Towns- 
hend  to  go  himself*.  Charles  needed  no  pressing.  Ever 
on  the  look  out  for  a  fresh  excitement,  he  was  happy  to 
take  a  holiday  from  his  duties  at  Westminster  and 
disport  himself  among  university  politicians;  but  it  is 
open  to  doubt  whether  Newcastle  was  justified  in 
allowing  him  to  go.  The  parliamentary  opposition,  of 

1  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  369. 

2  The  Master  of  Jesus  reported  on  March  8th  'we  have  had  a 
most  discomfortable  time  for  these  last  twenty-four  hours.  Every  minute 
brings  to  light  something  bad.'  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  281. 

3  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  246.  4  j^^^_  MS.  32956,  f.  250. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      89 

which  the  Duke  was  the  leader  and  Townshend,  for  the 
time  being,  a  member,  was  engaged  in  a  fierce  and 
critical  struggle  with  the  ministry;  and  it  was  not  a 
time  for  it  to  dissipate  its  strength  by  indulging  in 
side  shows.  Valuable  as  Townshend  might  be  at  Cam- 
bridge, he  would  be  still  more  valuable  in  the  house 
of  commons  as  a  critic  of  George  Grenville's  financial 
measures;  and  in  sending  him  to  Cambridge  New- 
castle was  guilty  of  faulty  generalship.  He  had  how- 
ever persuaded  himself  that  the  contest  at  Cambridge 
was  of  equal  importance  with  the  contest  in  parliament, 
and  that  the  success  of  Sandwich  would  be  as  fatal  to 
the  opposition  as  to  himself.  '  Unless  it  may  be  made  a 
publick  measure  and  that  all  chief  persons  in  the 
minority  will  set  it  in  that  light,  and  act  in  it  as  such,' 
he  told  the  Duke  of  Devonshire  on  March  7th,  '  I  shall 

despair    of   success Indeed,    my    dear    Lord,    it    is 

necessary  that  we  should  all  act  together  or  we  shall  be 
all  blown  up^.' 

On  March  8th  Charles  Townshend,  accompanied  by 
Dr  Powell,  left  for  Cambridge.  On  the  following  morn- 
ing he  waited  upon  the  Vice-Chancellor  who  received 
him  cordially  and  gave  him  permission  to  say  that  he, 
the  Vice-Chancellor,  had  undertaken  to  nominate  Lord 
Hardwicke  to  the  Senate^.  Then  without  further  delay 
Townshend  started  to  work  upon  the  university. 

'I  began  my  canvass  this  morning'  he  informed  Newcastle 
on  March  9th  'and  have  had  great  success  u^here  it  was  least 
expected.  Your  Grace  will  perhaps  be  anxious  to  hear  with 
exactness  in  what  manner  and  upon  what  general  grounds  I 
have  made  my  applications.  In  the  first  place  then  I  have 
assumed  the  honour  of  being  employed  by  your  Grace  with  the 

^  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  252.  It  seems  that  Newcastle  was  under  the 
impression,  which  proved  to  be  wrong,  that  Sandwich  himself  had 
gone  or  was  going  to  Cambridge. 

2  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  310,  f.  318. 


90      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

approbation  of  Lord  Hardwicke  and  his  family  and  of  Lord 
Townshend^  (all  thinking  and  acting  together  upon  the  same 
motives)  to  sollicit  the  support  of  your  particular  and  joint  friends 
in  favour  of  the  Vice-Chancellor's  nomination  of  Lord  Hardwicke 
upon  the  present  vacancy.  When  I  have  found  individuals 
engaged  for  us  I  have  acknowledged  the  obligation,  when 
positively  declared  against  us  I  have  lamented  it;  and  when 
either  undecided  or  conditionally  engaged  I  have  presumed  to 
enforce  every  topic  I  could  urge  to  gain  the  doubtful  or  to  dis- 
tinguish the  present  case  from  competitions  in  general  where 
either  party  can  be  served  without  previous  unkindness  or  slight 
to  the  other.  I  have  found  this  distinction  take  exceedingly,  and 
have  brought  Mr  Whiston,  after  long  argument,  and  Cardale 
of  St  John's  and  others  to  a  declaration  that,  struck  with  the 
idea  of  doing  a  positive  unkindness  to  the  heir  of  Lord  Hard- 
wicke merely  to  seek  an  uncertain  opportunity  of  obliging  Lord 
Sandwich,  they  will  vote  for  Lord  Hardwicke  if  first  nominated 
by  the  Vice-Chancellor^.' 

The  work  was  exhausting  but  Townshend  was  in- 
defatigable. On  the  arrival  of  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln  in 
Cambridge  on  the  afternoon  of  March  icth,  Towns- 
hend at  once  proceeded  with  him  to  canvass  St  John's, 
of  which  college  the  Bishop  had  been  a  Fellow  before 
becoming  Master  of  Corpus,  calling  in  particular  upon 

Lincolnshire  gentlemen  whom  I  thought  open  to  explicit 
solicitation,  and  likely  to  be  influenced  by  the  visit,  civility,  and 
kind  assurances  of  their  own  bishop,  in  opposition  to  the  loose 
though  positive  promises  of  our  liberal  adversary^. 

Moreover,  before  the  day  was  over,  he  and  the  Bishop 
had  gone  through  the  list  of  voters  and  Townshend 
reported  that 

Lord  Hardwicke  has  a  majority  of  thirteen  at  least  in  the 
class  of  doctors,  that  Lord  Sandwich  has  at  most  a  majority  of 
six  in  the  class  of  non-regents  which  may  be  taken  off  by 
throwing  into  the  non-regents  seven  of  the  thirteen  doctors, 
that   Lord   Hardwicke  has  a  majority  of  ten  at  least  in   the 

1  Charles  Townshend's  father  who  died  on  March  12th,  1764. 

2  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  310.  3  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  357. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      91 

regents;  that  of  the  seventeen  doubtful  regents  Lord  Hard- 
wicke  is  almost  sure  of  some;  but  if  they  should  all  vote  for 
Lord  Sandwich,  Lord  Hardwicke,  independent  of  accidents  in 
the  attendance  of  our  distant  votes,  will  still  carry  his  election^. 

Whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  expediency  of  dis- 
tracting Charles  Townshend's  attention  from  the  parlia- 
mentary struggle,  there  is  no  doubt  of  the  success  of 
his  Cambridge  visit.  The  Master  of  Jesus,  who  had 
been  so  despondent,  was  jubilant  over  the  work 
achieved^;  and  Newcastle  had  the  pleasure  of  con- 
gratulating his  nephew  upon  reviving  'the  spirits  (I 
had  almost  said  the  desponding  spirits)  of  all  our 
friends^.'  Townshend  himself  certainly  did  not  under- 
rate the  value  of  his  work;  'it  is  incredible'  he  declared 
'how  the  face  of  things  changes  here;  our  friends, 
active,  sanguine,  united;  the  adversary,  angry,  suspicious, 
and  revengeful*.'  It  is,  however,  doubtful  whether  he 
did  not  rate  his  achievement  rather  too  high.  He  had 
certainly  succeeded  in  inspiring  the  Hardwicke  party 
with  courage  and  hope,  and  in  persuading  a  certain 
number  of  waverers  to  support  the  Grace;  but  if  he 
believed  that  he  had  routed  Sandwich  and  his  followers, 
he  fell  into  a  grievous  error.  '  Mr  Townshend  is  very 
sanguine,'  remarked  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  'but  I 
think  that  in  a  contest  so  nearly  balanced  great  hazard 

^  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  357.  If  the  seventeen  doubtful  regents  all 
voted  for  Lord  Sandwich,  Lord  Hardwicke  would  be  in  a  minority 
of  one  in  that  house,  assuming  that  he  had  been  obliged  to  use  seven  of 
his  thirteen  doctors  in  the  non-regents  house.  Therefore  the  Bishop 
of  Lincoln  was  more  accurate  when  he  informed  Newcastle  on  March 
17th  that  'on  the  most  exact  scrutiny  we  could  make,  we  brought  the 
matter  so  very  near  that,  upon  allowing  our  adversary  all  the  doubtful 
votes,  there  was  in  the  whole  pole  but  the  diiference  of  one  against 
us.'  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  375.  Another  calculadon,  which  is  endorsed 
as  made  by  Charles  Townshend,  gives  Hardwicke  a  small  majority 
in  both  houses.  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  i. 

2  Add.  MS.  32956,  £.  308.       3  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  341. 

*  Add.  MS.  32956,  f  357. 


92      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

must  arise  from  illness,  absence  from  home,  great 
distance  and  other  causes^,'  and  the  Master  of  Jesus 
expressed  a  similar  opinion^. 

Yet  the  experiment  of  sending  a  special  emissary  to 
Cambridge  had  been  justified;  and  when  Charles 
Townshend  left  the  university  about  March  12th,  his 
place  was  taken  by  his  kinsman,  Thomas  Townshend, 
junior^,  who  in  his  turn  was  succeeded  by  Lord  Hard- 
wicke's  two  brothers,  the  Dean  of  Lincoln  and  John 
Yorke^.  By  the  date  of  Charles  Townshend's  departure 
the  work  of  canvassing  the  university  had  been  more 
or  less  completed;  but  the  parties  were  too  evenly 
balanced  to  allow  of  any  relaxation  of  effort.  'No  pains 
should  be  spared'  wrote  Thomas  Townshend  'where 
we  have  the  least  chance  of  a  vote.  Things  run  very 
near  indeed^.'  They  ran  so  near  as  to  make  the  whims 
and  fancies  of  a  single  member  of  the  Senate  a  matter 
of  vital  moment,  and  a  reliable  forecast  an  impossibility. 
A  note  by  the  Master  of  Jesus,  dated  March  i8th, 
marks  the  ever  changing  character  of  the  scene.  He 
mentions  that  Evans  and  Bennet,  two  supporters  of 
Sandwich,  had  arrived  in  Cambridge,  though  it  had 
been  anticipated  that  they  would  not  come,  that  Castley, 
another  member  of  the  same  party,  had  also  unex- 
pectedly arrived  from  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  that  Bacon 
of  Caius  had  been   'carried  off  mad  this  morning^.' 

1  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  375.  2  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  308. 

^  Charles  Townshend's  first  cousin. 

*  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  133.  It  was  Charles  Townshend  who  urged 
that  some  members  of  Lord  Hardwicke's  family  should  come  to  Cam- 
bridge; and  it  is  characteristic  of  Hardwicke's  whole  attitude  towards 
the  election  that  he  only  reluctantly  accepted  the  suggestion.  Add.  MS. 
32956,  f.  310,  f.  361,  f.  363. 

5  Add.  MS.  32957,  f  149. 

^  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  165.  In  an  undated  list  of  absentees  six  persons 
are  described  as  insane.  Add.  MS.  32954,  f.  213.  Castley  was  a  Fellow 
of  Jesus  and  Master  of  Castletown  School,  Isle  of  Man. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      93 

Much  alarm  and  trouble  was  also  caused  by  the  be- 
haviour of  Dr  Charles  Berridge  of  Clare.  After  volun- 
tarily undertaking  to  vote  for  Hardwicke,  Dr  Berridge 
began  to  fear  that  he  had  made  himself  a  little  too 
cheap;  and  his  suspicions  were  confirmed  by  a  letter  he 
had  written  to  Newcastle  being  left  unanswered.  In  a 
thoroughly  bad  humour  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
his  pledge  to  support  Hardwicke  was  not  being  counted 
to  him  for  righteousness  but  attributed  to  the  election- 
eering skill  of  the  Master  of  Jesus;  and  he  therefore 
arranged  to  pair  with  a  certain  William  Ellis  and  de- 
parted for  Bath.  As  Berridge  was  a  doctor  whose  vote 
could  be  cast  in  either  house  of  the  Senate,  and  Ellis 
was  only  a  master  of  arts,  the  arrangement  was  a 
material  loss  to  the  Hardwicke  party,  and  on  learning 
from  the  Master  of  Jesus  what  had  happened,  Newcastle 
acted  promptly.  Hearing  that  Berridge  was  breaking 
the  journey  to  Bath  by  a  stay  in  London,  he  contrived 
to  see  him;  and  so  far  succeeded  in  placating  him  as  to 
induce  him  to  request  Ellis  to  cancel  the  engagement 
between  them.  Ellis  readily  consented;  and  though, 
after  arriving  at  Bath,  Berridge  pleaded  he  was  too  ill 
to  travel  to  Cambridge,  he  was  finally  persuaded  to 
make  the  journey  and  vote  for  Hardwicke^. 

Such  difficulties  were  almost  of  daily  occurrence,  for 
Dr  Berridge  was  by  no  means  singular  in  being  quick 
to  take  offence. 

'On  my  return  to  college  this  morning'  wrote  a  certain  Mr 
Bigg  of  Clare  to  Newcastle  '  I  found  myself  honoured  with  a 
letter  from  your  Grace  through  Mr  Talbot^.  I  only  observe  that 
this  was  the  first  application  I  have  had  from  that  quarter, 
though  several  days  passed  after  the  melancholly  event  of  my 
good  Lord  Hardwicke's  death  before  I  left  college,  and,  what 

1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  99,  f.  139,  f.  155,  f.  156,  f.  158,  f.  255. 
^  Talbot  was  a  Fellow  of  Clare  and  the  Chancellor's  secretary  for 
university  business. 


94      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

is  somewhat  extraordinary,  some  of  the  managers  on  that  side 
passed  by  my  door  to  the  juniors,  though  I  had  particularly 
offered  to  write  to  the  absentees  of  our  college^.' 

Bigg  did  not  carry  his  resentment  so  far  as  not  to  vote 
for  Hardwicke,  but  it  is  appalling  to  think  of  the  time 
which  must  have  been  spent  in  healing  the  wounds 
unwittingly  inflicted  on  pride  and  dignity.  Nor  was 
there  any  time  to  spare;  for  on  both  sides  there  was 
feverish  activity  until  the  end. 

'I  am  informed'  wrote  Thomas  Townshend  'that  a  letter 
from  Lord  Sondes  to  Mr  Barton  of  Clare  Hall  might  chance  to 
be  productive  of  a  good  effect.  His  engagement  at  present  is  to 
another  Fellow  of  the  same  college,  and  there  is  great  reason  to 
think  that  an  application  from  Lord  Sondes  would  stagger  him^.' 

Possibly  it  was  of  the  same  Barton  it  was  suggested 
that  as  Lady  Gainsborough  allowed  his  mother  a 
hundred  pounds  a  year  she  might  be  able  to  persuade 
him  to  vote  for  Hardwicke^;  but  the  services  of  Lord 
Sondes  and  Lady  Gainsborough,  if  requisitioned,  failed 
to  wean  him  from  Lord  Sandwich.  A  few  days  before 
the  election  the  President  of  Queens'  reported  that  Carr 
of  Clare,  who  was  a  follower  of  Sandwich  and,  as  a 
member  of  the  Caput,  able  to  reject  the  Grace  by  his 
single  vote,  had  been  promised  a  valuable  living  by  the 
Archbishop  of  York  and  Lord  Rockingham*;  and, 
whatever  may  be  said  of  the  methods  employed,  they 
were  at  least  based  upon  a  frank  acknowledgment  of 
the  predominance  of  self-interest.  Mr  Mease,  Fellow 
of  St  John's  and  curate  at  Halesworth  in  Suffolk,  was 
to  be  approached  by  Sir  Joshua  Vanneck  from  whom 
he  had  hopes  of  advancement  in  the  church^;  and  a 
certain  Samuel  Hill  of  the  same  college  was  success- 
fully solicited  by  Newcastle  who,  though  he  did  not 

1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  216;  see  also  f.  52. 

2  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  149.  3  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  165. 
*  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  153.  5  A(j(j_  MS.  32956,  f.  393. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      95 

know  him,  pleaded  that  he  had  'had  the  pleasure  to 
contribute  to  your  obtaining  the  degree  of  master  of 
arts  in  our  university^.' 

It  was  certainly  a  keen  and  unscrupulous  game  with 
a  very  sordid  and  unattractive  side  to  it;  and,  as  might 
be  expected  in  such  a  hard  fought  contest,  there  was 
little  that  either  party  would  not  do  to  secure  a  vote. 

'  I  have  been  earnestly  pressed  by  my  neighbour,  Mr  Wortham 
of  Royston,'  wrote  Hardwicke  to  Newcastle  on  March  i8th, 
'  to  beg  the  favour  of  your  Grace  to  recommend  the  pretentions 
of  his  nephew,  Mr  Ferris,  to  a  Fellowship  of  St  John's  by  a 
line  from  your  Grace  to  Dr  Ogden.  I  have  already  wrote  to  the 
Dean  of  Rochester  ^  on  the  subject,  but  on  no  other  footing  than 
the  merit  of  the  young  man,  and  to  desire  that  a  junior  com- 
petitor may  not  bear  him  down  by  superior  interest.  Mr  Wortham 
says  he  would  not  have  had  recourse  to  this  sort  of  application 
if  the  other  candidate  had  not  set  the  example.  Your  Grace  may 
be  very  sure  that  I  shall  shut  the  door  as  much  as  possible  against 
these  sort  of  interpositions,  but  at  this  juncture  I  would  not 
have  my  friends  in  the  county  think  that  I  neglect  anything  in 
which  they  are  concerned^.' 

Sometimes  an  attempt  was  made  to  intimidate  a  voter 
from  adhering  to  a  promise  he  had  given.  Mr  Story  of 
Magdalene  for  instance  pleaded  hard  to  be  excused 
from  fulfilling  his  pledge  to  vote  for  Hardwicke  as  'it 
will  in  all  probability  deprive  me  of  my  curacy  and 
whole  support  at  present*';  and  William  Gawthrop  of 
Trinity  was  persuaded  by  Backhouse  to  foreswear  the 
allegiance  he  had  sworn  to  Sandwich. 

'I  have  sent  twice  this  week'  wrote  Backhouse  on  March 
nth  'to  Mr  Gawthrop  by  special  messengers  but  cannot  yet 
obtain  an  explicit  answer  that  he  will  vote  for  us,  the  Master 

1  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  316;  see  also  f.  292. 
^  The  Master  of  St  John's. 

^  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  167.  Ferris  was  elected  to  a  Fellowship  on 
the  9th  April  1764. 

*  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  103. 


96      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

having  sent  his  own  servant  to  claim  and  insist  on  his  first 
promise  however  unwarily  made.  This  has  so  horrified  him 
that  he  knows  not  what  to  do;  however  he  has  promised  to  let 
me  see  him  before  any  other  of  the  college^.' 

Though  we  know  far  less  of  the  activities  of  the 
Sandwich  party,  it  is  quite  certain  that  they  were  making 
a  desperate  bid  for  victory.  'Lord  Sandwich  is  inde- 
fatigable in  his  applications,'  wrote  a  supporter  of  Lord 
Hardwicke  from  Wakefield,  'his  expresses  are  daily 
coming  down  to  the  North^';  and  we  also  hear  of  Lord 
Chancellor  Northington  being  so  enraged  with  a  young 
clergyman  for  supporting  Hardwicke  that  he  refused 
to  give  him  a  living  which  he  had  promised  him^. 
Moreover  a  personal  canvass  of  the  university  in  the 
Sandwich  interest  was  undertaken  by  Lord  Carysfort, 
Colonel  Draper  and  Charles  Townshend's  elder  brother, 
George,  who  all  arrived  in  Cambridge  about  the  middle 
of  March.  George  Townshend  was  soon  called  away, 
by  the  death  of  his  father  whom  he  succeeded  in  the 
peerage;  but  his  two  companions  remained  behind  and 
solicited  votes. 

'Draper  and  Carysfort'  wrote  Thomas  Townshend  'go 
round  the  university,  make  civil  bows  and  civil  speeches  to 
everybody,  and  affect  to  shew  a  difference  between  their  conduct 
and  the  eagerness  of  Charles  Townshend*.' 

The  industry  of  Lord  Sandwich's  friends  was  doubt- 
less very  commendable  but  their  tactics  were  open  to 
criticism.  Interpreting  the  rule,  by  which  re-admitted 
masters  of  arts  were  not  entitled  to  vote  until  three 
months  had  elapsed  from  the  date  of  re-admission,  as 
meaning  three  lunar  months,  the  Vice-Chancellor  had 
purposely  delayed  the  election  of  a  High  Steward  until 

^  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  394.  Gawthrop  finally  voted  for  Hardwicke. 
2  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  420.  3  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  67. 

*  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  57;  see  also  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  35;  Add. 
MS.  35640,  f.  no. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      97 

March  22  nd  in  order  that  all  those  re-admitted  before 
December  30th  should  be  able  to  vote.  In  so  doing  he 
had  acted  with  perfect  impartiality;  for  as  the  Grace, 
passed  on  December  29th  and  extending  the  period  of 
three  months  to  a  year,  had  not  been  passed  by  the 
Senate  until  an  equal  number  of  masters  of  arts  had 
been  re-admitted  on  both  sides,  neither  party  was  placed 
at  a  disadvantage.  He  must  therefore  have  been  both 
surprised  and  chagrined  when  he  was  presented  on 
March  13th  with  a  memorial  from  the  Provost  of 
King's  and  the  Masters  of  Pembroke,  Clare  and  St 
Catharine's^,  which  stated  that  the  three  months  should 
be  interpreted  as  calendar  months,  and  that  therefore 

by  the  Grace  in  1698  (confirmed  by  the  King  and  Council  in 
1728)  no  person  re-admitted  after  December  22nd  has  a  legal 
right  to  vote  in  the  Senate  on  March  22nd,  nor  can  a  new  Grace 
of  the  Senate  give  him  that  right  unless  it  could  alter  the  law 
of  the  land^. 

The  motive  of  this  manoeuvre  was  not  difficult  to 
detect.  There  had  been  seven  re-admissions  before 
December  23rd,  of  which  five  were  in  Lord  Sandwich's 
favour^;  and  consequently,  if  the  contention  of  the 
memorialists  was  accepted,  Hardwicke  would  be  at  a 
serious  disadvantage.  The  move,  though  savouring  of 
sharp  practice,  was  adroit,  and  undoubtedly  caused  a 
good  deal  of  alarm  in  the  Hardwicke  camp.  At  a 
meeting  on  March  13th  between  Talbot,  Thomas 
Townshend,  the  Master  of  Christ's  and  the  Bishop  of 
Lincoln,  it  was  decided  to  take  counsel's  opinion:  and 
without  loss  of  time  Townshend  sought  out  Mr  Ser- 
geant White  who  happened  to  be  in  Cambridge  for  the 
assizes.  This  legal  luminary  announced  the  comforting 

^  The  memorial  was  drawn  up  by  the  Master  of  Trinity  and  had 
the  support  of  the  Master  of  Caius.  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  53;  Add.  MS. 
5852,  f.  147. 

2  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  57.  3  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  260. 


98      THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

doctrine  that  *in  all  cases  where  calendar  months  were 
not  particularly  mentioned,  twelve  weeks  were  to  be 
deemed  "integrum  spatium  trium  mensium";  but 
another  authority  on  being  consulted  declared  that  'as 
we  are  a  kind  of  ecclesiastical  constitution,  we  are  to 
understand  the  words  "trium  mensium  spatium"  in  an 
ecclesiastical  way  and  as  meaning  three  calendar 
months^.'  It  was  not  for  the  Vice-Chancellor  to  decide 
a  legal  question  upon  which  lawyers  disagreed;  and  he 
adopted  the  only  possible  course  in  the  circumstances. 

The  Vice-Chancellor  had  a  meeting  of  some  Heads  at  his 
Lodge  on  Thursday  15th  March  in  the  morning,  to  which  none 
of  the  six  Heads  were  called,  and  in  consequence  of  this  meeting 
sent  a  paper  in  the  afternoon  to  each  of  the  six  Heads,  signifying 
that  upon  this  dispute  he  thought  himself  obliged  to  put  off  the 
election  till  Friday  30th  March^. 

He  could  hardly  have  done  otherwise;  for  the  ques- 
tion having  once  been  raised,  the  obvious  way  out  of 
the  difficulty  was  to  appoint  such  a  date  for  the  election 
as  would  divest  the  doubt  of  any  practical  importance. 
Newcastle  was  of  course  delighted^,  having  previously 
petitioned  in  vain  for  a  postponement;  and  though  no 
fault  can  be  found  with  the  Vice-Chancellor's  action  by 
an  impartial  critic,  it  was  naturally  resented  by  those 
who,  in  an  attempt  to  score  an  unfair  advantage,  had 
badly  over-reached  themselves. 

'  I  own '  wrote  Lord  Sandwich  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  '  I 
expected  much  more  candour  from  you  than  what  I  have  lately 
met  with;  for  I  am  not  a  little  surprized  and  concerned  at  the 
news  I  yesterday  received  of  your  having  put  off  the  day  of  the 
election  of  the  High  Steward.  You  cannot  but  be  sensible  that 
this  proceeding  must  greatly  distress  several  of  my  friends  who 
are  come  from  a  great  distance  with  much  expence  and  incon- 

1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  loi ;  see  also  f.  53. 

2  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  147;  see  also  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  54,  f.  56 
Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  95,  f.  97. 

3  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  133. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS      99 

venience  to  their  affairs,  and  who  probably  will  not  easily  be 
prevailed  on,  if  they  go  home,  to  take  a  second  journey.  I  am 
not  at  present  thoroughly  apprized  of  the  power  of  a  Vice- 
Chancellor  in  this  election;  but  you  must  not  be  surprized  if  I 
make  strict  enquiry  into  that  matter;  and  that,  if  I  find  it  is 
contrary  to  the  laws  or  usage  of  the  university  to  put  off  a  day 
of  election  after  publick  notice  has  been  given,  I  apply  to 
superior  powers  for  justice^.' 

This  however  was  mere  bluster,  and,  in  accordance 
with  the  Vice-Chancellor's  decision,  the  election  did 
not  take  place  until  March  30th.  It  may  be  assumed 
that  Newcastle  knew  his  own  interests,  and  that  the 
postponement  was  to  his  advantage;  but  it  does  not 
certainly  appear  that  he  was  able  to  gain  any  material 
addition  to  his  strength.  On  the  eve  of  the  election  he 
was  extremely  despondent. 

'Lord  Sandwich's  talk'  he  declared  'is  that  he  has  a  majority 
in  the  regent  house,  not  so  in  the  non-regent.  It  is  feared  he 
has  in  both,  but  perhaps  he  knows  some  weaknesses  on  his  own 
side  to  which  we  are  strangers^.' 

Clearly  neither  side  had  anything  approaching  an 
adequate  margin  of  safety,  and  in  these  circumstances 
it  was  incumbent  upon  Hardwicke's  supporters  to  be 
ready  with  a  policy  in  the  event  of  the  defeat  of  their 
candidate.  They  did  not  however  find  this  task  at  all 
easy.  Though  they  were  in  general  agreement  that,  if 
Lord  Hardwicke's  Grace  failed  to  pass  the  Senate,  the 
Vice-Chancellor  must,  either  at  the  same  or  at  a  sub- 
sequent congregation,  submit  a  Grace  for  the  appoint- 
ment of  Sandwich,  they  were  by  no  means  united  in 
opinion  as  to  what  should  be  done  if  both  candidates 
were  rejected.  It  was  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln  who  first 
suggested  that  it  might  be  well  to  be  prepared  for  such 
a  contingency,  and  that,  if  both  Hardwicke  and  Sand- 
wich   failed   to    secure   election,    the   Vice-Chancellor 

1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  137.  2  Ajj_  jvis.  32957,  f.  376. 

7—2 


100    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

should  bring  forward  a  Grace  for  the  appointment  of 
the  Duke  of  Grafton^.  Much  could  be  urged  in  favour 
of  this  proposal.  It  would  undoubtedly  be  easier  to 
persuade  members  of  the  Senate  to  vote  against  Lord 
Sandwich's  Grace  if  they  knew  that  another  candidate 
was  in  readiness :  and  there  was  also  reason  to  fear  that, 
unless  he  was  forestalled,  Sandwich,  if  both  he  and 
Hardwicke  were  defeated,  might  place  his  adversaries 
in  a  very  difficult  position  by  arranging  for  the  new 
Lord  Townshend  to  be  proposed  to  the  Senate  for 
election  as  High  Steward.  It  was  known  that  Charles 
Townshend  would  not  canvass  against  his  brother,  and 
Newcastle  expressed  himself  extremely  doubtful  '  how 
far  the  other  Townshends  would  act^.'  Thus  the  sup- 
porters of  Hardwicke  would  be  divided  amongst  them- 
selves; and  this  disaster  might  easily  happen  if  they  did 
not  safeguard  against  it  by  agreeing  to  support  the 
Duke  of  Grafton. 

As  Grafton  was  quite  willing  to  be  thus  used^,  and 
as  the  Vice-Chancellor  gave  a  private  assurance  of  his 
readiness  to  nominate  him*,  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln's 
proposal  was  approved  by  most  of  the  party^,  and  would 
almost  certainly  have  been  accepted  if  it  had  not  been 
for  the  opposition  of  Lord  Hardwicke  and  Charles 
Yorke.  Despite  his  indifference  and  lack  of  interest, 
Hardwicke  desired  to  be  nominated  again  if  he  and 
Sandwich  were  rejected  at  the  first  trial^,  though  it  was 
quite  obvious  that  a  new  candidate  would  have  a  much 

1  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  279.  2  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  87. 

3  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  55.  *  Add.  MS.  32956,  f.  310. 

^  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  55,  f.  87.  'I  am  greatly  embarrassed  about 
this  second  man'  wrote  Newcastle  on  March  14th.  'I  find  all  our 
university  friends  here,  Dr  Powel,  Spanish  Charles,  etc.  think  that 
without  we  have  a  second  man  ready  and  known  to  be  so,  if  once  Lord 
Hardwicke  is  stopt  in  either  house.  Lord  Sandwich  will  certainly  be 
chose.'  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  55. 

6  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  55. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     loi 

better  chance  of  success.  Charles  Yorke  equally  objected 
to  the  proposal.  He  argued  that  no  third  candidate 
was  needed  as,  if  Hardwicke  was  defeated,  Sandwich 
would  certainly  be  elected;  and  that,  even  if  both  Hard- 
wicke and  Sandwich  were  rejected,  the  third  candidate 
should  be  a  person  in  favour  with  the  court  and  min- 
istry and  not  like  Grafton  an  active  member  of  the 
parliamentary  opposition^.  It  is  true  that  Charles  Yorke 
admitted  that  'this  matter  must  be  settled  by  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  and  the  rest  of  our  principal  friends  at  Cam- 
bridge in  confidence,  just  at  the  eve  of  the  election^'; 
but  it  was  perfectly  clear  that  both  he  and  his  brother 
very  much  disliked  the  proposal^  which  was  conse- 
quently dropped.  As  late  as  March  25th  the  Bishop  of 
Lincoln  was  urging  that 

it  is  highly  necessary  that  another  person  on  our  side  should  be 
ready,  that  our  friends  should  all  be  apprized  of  this,  and  that  he 
should  be  immediately  proposed  as  one  whom  we  are  determined 
to  support  in  the  second  trial  of  our  strength^; 

but  no  steps  were  taken,  and  the  Hardwicke  party  went 
into  action  unprepared  to  meet  a  situation  which  was 
not  unlikely  to  arise.  That  no  such  situation  arose,  and 
that  therefore  no  ill  consequences  ensued  from  failing 
to  prepare  for  it,  cannot  be  pleaded  in  excuse  of  Hard- 
wicke and  his  brother.  They  were  not  more  farsighted 
than  their  friends  but  only  more  selfish. 

Fortunately  there   was   not   the   same   difficulty   in 

1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  85.  2  ihid^ 

"^  In  an  undated  letter  to  his  brother,  Charles  Yorke  described  a 
conversation  he  had  had  with  Newcastle.  'Then  the  Duke  mentioned 
(what  he  called  a  thing  undecided  and  an  absolute  secret)  whether  the 
Duke  of  Grafton  would  not  be  a  proper  nominee.  I  spoke  with  great 
regard  of  the  Duke  of  Grafton  but  said,  if  it  failed  in  your  case,  it  was 
likely  to  fail  more  strongly  in  his  case,  because  his  nomination  would 
be  seen  more  in  the  light  of  opposition  as  things  now  are.'  Add.  MS. 
35631,  f.  9. 

^  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  263. 


102    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

settling  certain  other  points.  At  a  meeting  on  March 
27th,  attended  by  the  Vice-Chancellor,  Talbot,  and 
Hardwicke's  leading  supporters,  it  was  agreed  that,  if 
the  Grace  was  rejected,  the  Vice-Chancellor  should 
delay  bringing  forward  a  Grace  for  Lord  Sandwich's 
appointment  until  the  following  day,  and  that  if 

the  Scrutators  in  the  non-regent  house  should  make  different 
returns,  which  might  happen  if  one  of  them  admitted  those 
votes  that  the  other  rejected  as  bad  or  disputable,... the  Vice- 
Chancellor  ought  to  dissolve  the  congregation  and  defer  the 
election  till  the  legality  of  the  votes  in  question  should  be  deter- 
mined by  proper  authority^^. 

There  was  also  general  agreement  that  it  would  be 
unwise  to  veto  Sandwich's  Grace  in  the  Caput  for  fear 
of  provoking  anger;  and  though  Talbot  urged  that  'the 
employing  a  negative  in  the  Caput  as  a  last  resource 
would  be  less  invidious  and  exceptionable  if  a  majority 
or  at  least  a  moiety  of  the  Caput  could  be  induced  to 
join  in  the  negative,'  the  suggestion  was  not  warmly 
received^. 

Excitement  ran  high  in  Cambridge  on  the  eve  of  the 
election.  From  five  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  Thurs- 
day March  29th,  a  committee  of  the  Hardwicke  party 
*sat  at  the  Rose,  receiving  intelligence  from  those  who 
had  been  appointed  in  each  college  to  bring  in  accurate 
lists  of  all  who  were  then  arrived^,'  and  it  is  easy  to 
imagine  the  eagerness  with  which  these  lists  were 
scanned.  As  late  as  the  morning  of  the  appointed  day, 
a  certain  number  of  voters,  whose  absence  had  been 
counted  upon,  arrived  to  support  Lord  Sandwich*;  and 

1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  301. 

2  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  301.  Talbot's  proposal  was  deferred  for  con- 
sideration at  a  meeting  on  the  following  day;  and  though  we  do  not 
know  what  happened  at  this  second  conference,  it  is  improbable  that 
the  suggestion  was  accepted. 

3  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  150.  4  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  150. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     103 

it  was  doubtful  up  to  the  last  moment  whether  the 
Master  of  Trinity  intended  to  vote.  Pleading  ill-health, 
but  more  probably  afraid  of  being  maltreated  by  the 
undergraduates  of  his  own  college,  Dr  Smith  announced 
on  March  29th  that  he  did  not  propose  to  attend  the 
congregation;  and,  though  he  adhered  to  this  resolu- 
tion, his  adversaries  not  unnaturally  suspected  that  he 
was  seeking  to  deceive  them,  and  thought  it  unsafe  to 
count  upon  his  absence^.  There  were  also  a  certain 
number  of  members  of  the  Senate  who,  after  professing 
to  be  neutral,  finally  decided  to  vote  for  one  or  other  of 
the  candidates^.  Consequently  it  was  not  until  the  last 
moment  that  the  Hardwicke  party  was  able  to  decide 
the  very  important  question  of  the  proper  distribution 
of  the  doctors  between  the  two  houses.  Despite  earlier 
gloomy  prophecies  to  the  contrary,  Hardwicke  pre- 
served the  advantage  he  had  always  had  in  doctors, 
counting  thirty-one  among  his  supporters  to  Sand- 
wich's twenty-two.  It  was  calculated  that  Sandwich 
would  need  to  place  all  his  doctors  but  one  in  the 
regents'  house;  and,  working  on  this  assumption,  the 
leaders  of  the  Hardwicke  party  reckoned  that  Sandwich 
would  have  in  the  regents'  house  one  hundred  and 
seven  or  one  hundred  and  eight  votes,  including  his 
twenty-one  doctors;  and  that  therefore,  to  ensure  the 
passing  of  the  Grace,  twenty-six  of  Hardwicke's  doc- 
tors must  be  added  to  the  eighty-three  masters  of  arts 
in  that  house  who  had  pledged  themselves  to  vote  for 
the  Grace.  This  however  would  only  leave  Hardwicke 
with  five  doctors  to  use  in  the  non-regents'  house; 
and  though  it  was  calculated  that  this  would  be  sufficient 
if  the  Master  of  Trinity  absented  himself,  Hardwicke's 

1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  398;  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  150.  Their 
suspicions  of  the  Master  of  Trinity  were  strengthened  by  seeing  his 
carriage  at  his  door  on  the  morning  of  March  30th. 

2  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  398. 


104    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

friends  were  too  suspicious  of  the  Master's  sincerity 
to  take  the  risk.  They  therefore  decided  to  keep  six 
doctors  in  the  non-regents'  house,  thus  only  leaving 
twenty-five  for  use  among  the  regents^;  and  in  so  doing 
made  a  blunder  which  was  to  have  most  unfortunate 
consequences.  They  certainly  would  have  done  better 
to  have  risked  the  appearance  of  the  Master  of  Trinity; 
but  they  can  hardly  be  blamed  for  refusing  to  believe 
that  such  an  ardent  supporter  of  Sandwich  would  be 
found  wanting  at  the  last. 

It  was  indeed  impossible  to  foretell  the  victor,  for 
seldom  have  the  combatants  in  a  university  contest  been 
more  evenly  matched.  In  Trinity,  King's,  Pembroke 
and  Caius,  Sandwich  had  many  more  supporters  than 
his  rival,  and  not  a  single  vote  from  St  Catharine's  was 
cast  against  him.  But  in  Peterhouse,  Clare,  Queens', 
Jesus,  and  Christ's,  Hardwicke's  adherents  were  in  a 
large  majority,  and  his  own  college.  Corpus,  was  almost 
to  a  man  on  his  side^.  There  was  however  very  much 
less  difference  of  opinion  among  the  undergraduates 
who  were  for  the  most  part  very  enthusiastic  supporters 
of  Lord  Hardwicke,  and  their  enthusiasm  was  not 
always  displayed  in  a  decorous  fashion.  'The  lads,  I 
hear,'  wrote  the  Master  of  Magdalene  on  March  20th, 
'assembled  about  King's  Lodge  on  Thursday  night 
last,  made  a  riot,  and  cried  aloud  "Bring  out  your 
daughters.  Jemmy  Twitcher  is  come^."'  Fearing  a  dis- 
turbance on  the  election  day,  the  Vice-Chancellor  for- 
bade undergraduates  admission  to  the  Senate  house 
and  enrolled  special  constables  for  the  maintenance  of 

^  There  is  one  list  (Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  326)  which  gives  twenty- 
four  doctors  voting  for  the  Grace  and  twenty  against  it  in  the  regents' 
house;  but  the  account  in  the  text  is  based  upon  a  letter  from  the 
Bishop  of  Lincoln  who  was  likely  to  know  what  really  happened. 

2  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  69.  St  John's,  Magdalene,  Emmanuel  and 
Sidney  were  more  or  less  equally  divided  in  their  sympathies. 

3  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  193. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     105 

order^.  He  also  took  the  precaution  of  conferring  with 
the  Scrutators  and  Proctors  'about  the  manner  of  taking 
the  votes^.'  He  suggested  that  the  senior  Scrutator  in 
the  non-regent  house  and  the  senior  Proctor  in  the 
regent  house  should,  as  each  vote  was  given,  mark  it 
down  on  his  paper  in  the  presence  of  his  colleague 
and  the  voter,  that  the  junior  Scrutator  and  Proctor 
should  then  do  the  same;  and  that,  at  the  end  of  each 
row,  the  two  Scrutators  and  the  two  Proctors  should 
compare  their  totals^.  It  cannot  be  said  that  these  pre- 
cautions were  unnecessary,  for  the  traditional  method 
of  recording  the  votes  was  extremely  unsatisfactory.  It 
was  the  custom  for  each  Scrutator  and  Proctor  to  be 
provided  with  a  long  scroll  of  paper  on  which  were 
drawn  two  lines,  against  which  were  written  placet  and 
non-placet  respectively;  and  a  vote  was  recorded  by  a 
stroke  across  either  one  or  other  of  the  two  lines'*.  It  is 
clear  that  an  unscrupulous  or  careless  person  might 
easily  mark  a  vote  on  the  wrong  line;  and  as  the  parties 
were  so  evenly  matched,  and  the  Scrutators  and  Proc- 
tors themselves  supporters  of  one  or  other  of  the 
candidates,  it  was  clearly  expedient  to  guard  against 
error  or  fraud. 

The  best  laid  plans  however  are  often  those  which 
most  easily  go  astray;  but  it  is  improbable  that  the  most 
gloomy  prophet  of  disaster  ever  anticipated  that  they 
would  go  as  sadly  astray  as  they  did.  The  proceedings 
on  March  30th  were  singularly  rich  in  sensational 
incidents.  At  the  morning  congregation  Lord  Hard- 
wicke's  Grace  was  read  for  the  first  time  and  passed  by 
the  Caput,  after  which  the  Vice-Chancellor  dissolved 
the  congregation^.  At  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the 
members  of  the  Senate  again  assembled  in  congrega- 

1  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  147,  f.  148;  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  396. 

2  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  265.     3  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  81. 

^  Terrae  Filius,  no.  5.  ^  a^j_  ]\/[s.  5852,  f.  147,  f.  148. 


io6    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

tion;  and  it  was  noticed  that  the  undergraduates,  who 
crowded  the  approaches  to  the  Senate  house,  cheered 
the  supporters  of  Lord  Hardwicke  as  they  arrived^. 
After  the  voters  had  taken  their  seats  in  their  respective 
houses  the  Grace  was  read  for  the  second  time;  and 
then  began  the  scrutiny  by  the  two  Scrutators  in  the 
non-regents'  house.  They  adopted  the  method  sug- 
gested by  the  Vice-Chancellor,  comparing  their  figures 
at  the  end  of  each  row;  and,  having  completed  the 
scrutiny,  declared  the  Grace  carried  by  one  hundred 
and  three  placets  to  one  hundred  and  one  non-placets. 
The  announcement  was  greeted  by  loud  cheers  which 
were  taken  up  by  the  undergraduates  outside^.  Then 
began  the  scrutiny  in  the  regents'  house  by  the  two 
Proctors,  Longmire  of  Peterhouse  and  Forster  of  St 
John's.  They  started  like  the  Scrutators  by  comparing 
their  numbers  at  the  end  of  each  row;  but  it  is  important 
to  note  that  they  made  no  such  comparison  at  the  end 
of  the  last  row  of  all,  and  that  while  Longmire,  the 
senior  Proctor,  recorded  the  votes  in  the  usual  and 
approved  fashion,  Forster  practised  'a  strange  manner 
of  marking  in  a  method  unknown  to  the  Schools^.'  At 
the  end  of  the  last  row,  when  all  votes  had  been  taken 
except  those  of  the  Proctors  themselves,  Longmire 
glanced  at  his  paper  and  calculated  that  an  equal  number 
of  placets  and  non-placets  had  been  given  for  and 
against  the  Grace.  He  then  declared  his  own  vote, 
which  was  placet,  in  a  loud  tone,  and  marked  it  down 
on  his  paper;  and,  as  he  noticed  the  junior  Proctor 
simultaneously  record  a  vote,  he  concluded  that  his 
placet  had  been  overheard  and  marked  on  the  junior 
Proctor's  list.  But  unfortunately  Forster  was  hard  of 

1  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  150. 

2  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  147,  f.  148;  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  318,  f.  398; 
Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  64,  f.  150. 

3  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  117;  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  181. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     107 

hearing,  and  the  vote  he  had  entered  was  his  own  which 
was  non-placet. 

Thus  each  Proctor  had  recorded  his  own  vote  and 
omitted  to  record  the  vote  of  his  colleague;  and,  if  they 
had  at  once  compared  their  papers,  they  would  have 
discovered  their  error  and  seen  that  the  votes  were 
equal.  But  they  failed  to  take  this  precaution,  and  began 
to  add  up  the  votes.  Their  totals  of  course  disagreed, 
Longmire  making  one  hundred  and  eight  placets  to  one 
hundred  and  seven  non-placets,  while  according  to 
Forster  the  placets  were  one  hundred  and  seven  and 
the  non-placets  one  hundred  and  eight.  While  they 
were  engaged  in  puzzling  over  their  difference,  one  of 
the  Bedells,  who  had  taken  a  look  at  their  papers,  pro- 
ceeded to  inform  the  Vice-Chancellor  that  the  two 
Proctors  disagreed;  and  at  once  the  rumour  spread  that 
Forster  had  marked  Longmire  as  voting  non-placet. 
This  was  unfortunate  as  it  helped  to  confuse  the  issue; 
but  it  was  plausible  enough  to  gain  easy  acceptance  and 
was  of  course  readily  believed  by  Hardwicke's  followers, 
two  of  whom  came  forward  to  testify  that  they  had  seen 
Forster  mark  Longmire  as  voting  non-placet. 

While  the  parties  were  wrangling,  the  two  Proctors 
discovered  that  each  had  omitted  to  record  the  other's 
vote,  and  thereupon  agreed  that  both  the  placet  and 
non-placet  votes  numbered  one  hundred  and  eight. 
They  then  appeared  before  the  Vice-Chancellor  who 
enquired  whether  they  were  able  to  declare  placet  or 
non-placet,  adding  that,  if  they  could  not  make  either 
return,  they  must  proceed  to  a  second  scrutiny.  It  was 
unfortunate  that  the  Vice-Chancellor  at  this  stage  sug- 
gested another  scrutiny,  as  it  encouraged  Sandwich's 
followers  in  the  belief  that  he  was  acting  in  Hardwicke's 
interest.  There  was  no  doubt  that  a  second  scrutiny 
was  necessary  if  the  Proctors  disagreed;  and  probably 
the  Vice-Chancellor,   misled   by  the  Bedell,   honestly 


io8    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

believed  that  there  was  a  disagreement.  But  the  two 
Proctors  now  concurred  in  returning  the  votes  as 
equal;  and  it  does  not  seem  to  have  been  known  for 
certain  whether  an  equality  of  votes  involved  the  loss 
of  a  Grace  or  a  second  scrutiny.  It  is  noteworthy  that  a 
follower  of  Hardwicke  privately  expressed  the  opinion 
that,  if  the  votes  were  equal,  the  Grace  was  lost^;  though 
on  the  other  hand  it  was  contended  that 

if  the  votes  are  equal,  it  is  agreeable  to  the  constitution  of  the 
said  university  in  similar  cases  that  the  votes  should  be  numbered 
a  second  or  even  a  third  time  before  a  negative  is  declared  or 
reported  on  the  Grace  proposed^. 

Clearly  it  was  a  disputable  point;  and  no  sooner  had 
the  Vice-Chancellor  mentioned  the  possibility  of  a 
second  scrutiny  than  certain  of  Sandwich's  friends 
declared  that  no  second  scrutiny  ought  to  be  held,  as 
the  votes  were  equal  and  the  Grace  therefore  lost.  In 
reply  to  the  Vice-Chancellor,  Longmire  declared  that 
as  the  votes  were  equal  he  could  make  no  return,  but 
that  he  was  ready  to  go  to  a  second  scrutiny;  while 
Forster  answered  that,  though  prepared  to  make  a 
return,  he  could  not  do  so  without  the  concurrence  of 
his  fellow  Proctor,  and  that  in  no  circumstances  would 
he  go  to  a  second  scrutiny.  Meanwhile  the  followers  of 
Hardwicke  were  loudly  calling  for  a  second  scrutiny, 
and  the  followers  of  Sandwich  equally  loudly  urging 
Forster  not  to  comply  with  the  demand.  When  the 
confusion  was  at  its  height,  knocking  was  heard  on  the 
Senate  house  door;  and  it  was  believed  that  the  Master 
of  Trinity  was  seeking  admission.  Dr  Smith  had  taken 
a  drive  in  the  morning,  but,  being  visited  on  his  return 
by  Lord  Townshend  and  Lord  Weymouth,  he  had 
promised  them  that  he  would  attend  the  second  con- 
gregation.  Yet  he  had  not  appeared,   though  urgent 

1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  318. 

2  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  75;  see  also  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  117. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     109 

reminders  had  been  sent  him;  and  therefore  when  the 
knocking  was  heard,  it  was  hoped  by  the  one  party  and 
feared  by  the  other  that  he  had  at  last  summoned  up 
courage  to  come.  If  admitted,  his  vote  would  decide 
the  election  in  favour  of  Sandwich  if  there  was  a  second 
scrutiny;  and  therefore,  while  the  Provost  of  King's 
called  upon  the  Vice-Chancellor  to  admit  Dr  Smith,  the 
Master  of  Magdalene  declared  that  'the  mistake  which 
was  made  amongst  the  numbers  then  present,  was  not 
to  be  rectified  by  the  admission  of  a  new  vote^.'  The 
Vice-Chancellor  ruled  that  the  door  could  not  be  opened, 
and  it  was  then  discovered  that  the  wrangle  had  been 
purposeless,  as  the  seeker  for  admission  was  not  the 
Master  of  Trinity  but  Beilby  Porteous,  a  future  Bishop 
of  London,  who,  having  voted  as  a  non-regent  for 
Hardwicke,  had  left  the  Senate  house  to  obtain  refresh- 
ment and  now  desired  to  return^. 

The  Vice-Chancellor  having  decided  that  the  doors 
of  the  Senate  house  should  not  be  opened,  the  dispute 
over  a  second  scrutiny  was  vigorously  resumed.  Sir 
Edward  Simpson,  Master  of  Trinity  Hall,  who  as  a 
lawyer  was  entitled  to  express  an  opinion,  supported 
the  Vice-Chancellor  in  the  contention  that  there  should 
be  a  second  scrutiny;  but  the  junior  Proctor  obstinately 
refused  to  be  either  commanded  or  persuaded,  and,  as 
it  was  now  nearly  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  dissolved  the  congregation.  It  is  reported 
that  'he  sent  for  the  Registrary  and  Mr  Bennet, 
Esquire  Bedel,  Notary  Public,  up  to  his  table  and 
before  them  asked  the  senior  Proctor,  Mr  Longmire, 
if  he  was  ready  to  make  a  declaration  with  regard  to 
the  scrutiny  for  an  High  Steward  in  the  regent  house. 
He  answered  to  this  effect:  that  he  did  not  see  how  he 
could  declare  it  but  was  ready  to  take  another  scrutiny. 
Then  the  Vice-Chancellor  put  the  same  question  to  the 

1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  394.  2  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  117. 


no    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

other  Proctor,  Mr  Forster,  who  answered  he  was 
ready  to  make  a  declaration  if  the  senior  Proctor  would 
join  with  him  but  did  not  see  how  he  could  do  it  by 
himself.  Being  asked  if  he  would  assist  in  taking  a 
second  scrutiny,  said  he  would  not  or  words  to  that 
effect.  Then  the  Vice-Chancellor  immediately  said:  "I 
admonish  you  for  this  omission  in  your  duty."  The 
Vice-Chancellor  then  said:  "I  suppose  I  have  power  to 
continue  or  dissolve  this  congregation";  and  some 
persons  near  him  saying  he  certainly  had,  said:  "Then 
I  will  dissolve  it,"  and  accordingly  went  to  the  chair  at 
the  foot  pace  and  dissolved  it^.'  The  doors  were  then 
opened,  and,  as  the  members  of  the  Senate  passed  out, 
the  undergraduates  rushed  in  and 

proceeded  immediately  to  an  election  without  one  discordant 
voice,  and,  after  having  chaired  Lord  Hardwicke's  proxy  and 
fixed  the  name  of  Hardwicke  above  the  Chancellor's  chair, 
dispersed  quietly  to  their  respective  homes^. 

The  proceedings  reflect  no  little  discredit  upon  the 
university.  Nothing  could  have  been  more  undignified 
than  the  futile  and  unseemly  wrangle  between  men 
who  were  hopelessly  confused  as  to  what  had  actually 
happened;  and  the  Vice-Chancellor  is  blameworthy  for 
his  failure  to  maintain  order.  It  is  moreover  very 
surprising  that  there  should  have  been  any  doubt  as  to 
the  proper  action  to  be  taken  if  there  was  an  equality 
of  votes.  Both  parties  were  well  aware  that  the  contest 
was  going  to  be  extremely  close,  and  surely  no  great 
foresight  was  needed  to  envisage  the  possibility  of  the 
candidates  receiving  an  equal  number  of  votes  in  one 

1  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  147,  f.  148. 

2  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  150.  Accounts  of  the  proceedings  will  be 
found  in  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  310,  f.  312,  f.  316,  f.  318,  f.  343, 
f-  3  55»  f-  394.  f-  396,  f-  398,  f-  425;  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  117;  Add. 
MS.  35657,  f.  64,  f.  66,  f.  75,  f.  81,  f.  150;  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  147, 
f.  148. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     iii 

or  other  of  the  two  houses.  Yet,  when  the  possibility 
actually  happened,  no  one  was  in  a  position  to  say 
authoritatively  what  procedure  should  be  adopted. 

The  earliest  information  received  by  Newcastle  of 
the  great  event  came  from  Charles  Townshend  who 
wrongly  reported  that  Forster  had  blundered  in  marking 
Longmire  as  voting  against  the  Grace,  that  the  placets 
therefore  exceeded  the  non-placets  by  one,  and  that 
Longmire  refused  to  admit  that  the  votes  were  equal^. 
Consequently  the  Duke  concluded  that  the  battle  was 
won,  and  that  it  only  remained  to  settle  '  how  to  put  my 
Lord  Hardwicke  in  possession  of  the  office  to  which 
he  is  elected^';  but  he  soon  heard  the  true  story  and 
was  deeply  distressed  to  learn  that  another  election 
might  be  necessary.  He  was  an  old  man  and  felt  unequal 
to  the  strain  of  resuming  the  struggle  with  Sandwich. 

'For  God's  sake'  he  implored  'don't  let  us  have  all  this 
trouble  over  again  if  it  can  be  avoided.  Dr  Smith  will  come  to  the 
next  congregation,  and  we  shall  have  all  the  votes  in  North  and 
South  of  Europe  and  America  brought  upon  us^.' 

The  trouble  however  could  not  be  warded  off  by  New- 
castle's passionate  desire  to  avoid  it;  and  he  became 
still  more  despondent  on  hearing  from  Charles  Yorke 
that  the  Vice-Chancellor,  by  dissolving  the  congrega- 
tion before  the  Proctors  had  made  a  declaration,  had 
annulled  the  proceedings,  and  that  '  no  remedy  is  to  be 
had  either  at  law  or  anywhere  else,  and  consequently 
we  must  proceed  to  a  new  election*.'  Newcastle  how- 
ever was  not  prepared  to  face  a  new  election  if  it  could 
be  possibly  avoided,  and  as  the  only  alternative  policy 
was  an  appeal  to  the  courts  of  law,  he  was  forced  to 
advocate  legal  proceedings.  On  learning  that  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  was  not  prepared  '  to  suffer  any  Grace  to  be 
read  or  to  pass,  relating  to  the  late  or  any  future  election 

1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  310.  2  Ajj_  ]vis.  32957,  f.  347. 

3  Ibid.  *  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  404. 


112    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

of  an  High  Steward,  until  Lord  Hardwicke  shall  have 
determined  what  course  he  shall  take  for  the  support  of 
his  election,'  the  Duke  interviewed  Hardwicke,  called 
a  meeting  of  the  'four  Mr  Townshends  and  Mr  Charles 
Yorke,'  and  issued  instructions  for  the  collection  of 
material  for  a  law-suit^. 

'The  great  point'  he  told  the  Master  of  Magdalene  'is  to 
ascertain  the  number... present  and  how  each  man  voted,  if  it 
can  be  done,  and  to  know  the  constitution  of  the  university  and 
the  method  of  their  proceedings  in  these  cases,  particularly  with 
regard  to  the  refusal  of  the  junior  Proctor  to  consent  to  a  scrutiny 
or  telling  over  again,  which  is  always  the  practice  and  was  now 
denied^.' 

While  Newcastle  and  his  friends  were  preparing  a 
plan  of  campaign,  Sandwich  was  considering  his 
position  which  was  indeed  as  dubious  as  that  of  his 
rival.  The  King  and  George  Grenville  were  probably 
anxious  for  him  to  withdraw  from  a  contest  upon  which 
they  had  never  wanted  him  to  enter^,  but  it  was  asking 
not  a  little  that  he  should  acknowledge  defeat  and 
desert  his  friends  when  it  still  remained  possible  that 
he  might  emerge  triumphant.  Adopting  the  standpoint 
that  Lord  Hardwicke's  Grace  had  been  lost  in  the 
regents'  house  as  the  votes  were  equal,  he  contended 
that  the  Vice-Chancellor  was  now  in  duty  bound  to 
bring  forward  a  Grace  for  his  appointment  as  High 
Steward;  and  that,  in  the  event  of  the  Vice-Chancellor 
refusing  to  do  so,  recourse  must  be  had  to  the  law. 
Yet  he  did  not  desire  to  use  coercion  if  gentler  means 
could  be  effective;  and  he  cautiously  felt  his  way  before 
definitely  deciding  upon  a  course  of  action.  In  the 
letters  of  thanks  which  he  issued  to  his  supporters,  he 
mentioned  that  he  still  regarded  himself  as  a  candidate 

1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  417.  2  Ai^j_  MS.  32957,  f.  419. 

3  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  430. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     113 

for  the  High  Stewardship^;  and  he  followed  up  this 
announcement  by  a  visit  to  Cambridge.  The  professed 
object  of  this  visit  was  personally  to  thank  his  friends 
for  their  assistance  and  support^;  but  he  had  other  and 
more  important  designs  which  it  was  as  well  not  to 
publish  abroad.  He  hoped  to  persuade  the  Vice-Chan- 
cellor  to  bring  forward  a  Grace  for  his  appointment 
as  High  Steward;  but,  if  his  arguments  failed  to  con- 
vince, he  thought  of  petitioning  the  King  in  Council 
for  redress  of  his  wrongs,  and  was  anxious  to  discover 
what  his  adherents  in  the  university  thought  of  such  a 
petition  and  how  many  were  prepared  to  sign  it^. 

Accompanied  by  his  friends.  Lord  Townshend  and 
Lord  Carysfort,  he  arrived  in  Cambridge  on  the  evening 
of  Thursday  April  5th  and  stayed  at  Trinity  Lodge. 
By  accepting  Dr  Smith's  hospitality  he  doubtless  in- 
tended to  show  him  that  his  conduct  on  the  day  of  the 
election  had  been  forgiven;  but  it  is  doubtful  whether 
Sandwich  was  wise  to  honour  by  his  presence  a  college 
of  which  the  undergraduates  were  such  enthusiastic 
supporters  of  his  rival.  On  the  evening  he  arrived,  an 
effigy,  decorated  with  a  wig  belonging  to  one  of  the 
Tutors,  was  flung  across  the  lamp  over  the  Lodge  door*; 
but  he  was  well-hardened  by  this  time  to  manifestations 
of  public  disapproval  and  was  unlikely  to  be  worried 
by  the  insults  of  voteless  undergraduates.  He  spent  his 
first  evening  in  Cambridge  in  conferring  with  his  leading 
supporters^;  and  on  the  following  morning  started  on 

1  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  3;  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  425. 

2  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  7.  3  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  5,  f.  15,  f.  49. 
*  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  15.   The  Scrutator, '^o.  3:  ' I  am  afraid '  wrote 

the  author  of  the  Scrutator  'there  is  more  than  one  Tutor  in  the  world 
who  ought  to  be  hanged  up,  not  by  proxy  but  in  propria  persona;  for 
I  am  sure,  as  it  is  sometimes  managed,  it  is  a  very  infamous  and  pick- 
pocket employment.' 

^  Dr  Brooke  of  St  John's,  Brockett  of  Trinity,  the  junior  Proctor 
and  others;  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  49. 


114    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

a  round  of  visits.  He  first  waited  on  the  Vice-Chancellor 
to  whom  he  presented  both  an  oHve-branch  and  a 
sword.  While  professing  greatly  to  desire  the  restora- 
tion of  peace  to  the  university,  he  made  it  perfectly 
clear  that  he  was  not  prepared  to  secure  that  peace  by 
tamely  submitting  to  defeat;  and,  though  he  asked  the 
Vice-Chancellor  to  suggest  a  way  of  ending  the  dispute, 
he  was  at  pains  to  say  that  he  had  'prepared  materials 
for  a  ligitation.'  'I  should  have  made  some  reply,'  re- 
ported the  Vice-Chancellor  to  Hardwicke,  'but  his 
Lordship  said  he  did  not  expect  an  immediate  answer, 
and  then  left  me^.' 

After  leaving  the  Vice-Chancellor,  Sandwich  went  to 
Peterhouse,  where  he  called  upon  the  Master,  Dr  Law, 
and  Longmire,  the  senior  Proctor.  The  Master  had 
loyally  supported  Hardwicke,  though  he  was  a  poor 
man  and  anxious  for  advancement  in  the  church;  and 
doubtless  Sandwich  had  hopes  of  winning  him  over. 
But  Dr  Law  was  not  to  be  won;  and  to  Sandwich's 
declaration  that  he  had  come  to  Cambridge  to  restore 
peace,  he  retorted  that 

he  had  heard  that  his  Lordship  was  come  down  with  a  petition 
to  be  signed  by  his  friends  here  and  to  be  presented  to  the  King 
and  Council,  in  order  to  oblige  the  Vice-Chancellor  or  Proctors 
to  do  more  than  they  thought  they  ought  to  do^. 

There  was  clearly  nothing  to  be  done  with  the  Master, 
and  the  visit  to  the  senior  Proctor  was  equally  disap- 
pointing. He  hoped  to  extract  from  Longmire  useful 
information  about  what  had  happened  on  March  30th, 

1  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  155;  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  13.  Newcastle 
was  puzzled  whether  Sandwich  meant  'the  settling  some  method  for 
finishing  the  present  dispute  and  proceeding  to  another  election  (which 
I  rather  think  was  his  meaning)  or  the  finding  out  some  third  person 
who  might  be  agreeable  to  both  parties  and  come  in  without  any 
opposition.'  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  86. 

2  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  51. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     115 

and  possibly  might  have  done  so  if  Lord  Townshend, 
who  accompanied  him,  had  not  badly  blundered. 

'From  Dr  Law'  reported  the  Master  of  Jesus  'they  went 
to  Mr  Longmire  where  they  stayed  not  long;  for  somebody 
rapping  at  the  door,  and  Mr  Longmire,  leaving  his  inner  door 
open  whilst  he  stepped  out  to  the  outer  one,  he  heard  Lord 
Townshend  say  "  My  Lord,  you  are  wrong,  you  should  not  talk 
but  hear  him,"  upon  which  Mr  Longmire  on  his  return 
thought  proper  to  shut  up  his  mouth,  and  they  soon  left  him^.' 

On  the  same  day  Sandwich  and  his  two  companions 
dined  in  the  hall  of  Trinity;  and,  to  mark  their  dis- 
approval, the  undergraduates,  with  the  single  exception 
of  a  certain  William  Lowther,  not  only  absented  them- 
selves from  hall  but  collected  in  the  court  outside  and 
serenaded  the  diners  with  cheers  for  Lord  Hardwicke^. 
It  says  much  for  Sandwich's  perseverance  that,  in  spite 
of  these  many  rebuffs,  he  remained  in  Cambridge  until 
the  afternoon  of  Monday  April  8th,  hard  at  work  the 
whole  time.  He  was  entertained  in  Caius,  dined  with 
the  Provost  of  King's,  supped  with  the  Master  of  St 
Catharine's,  and  'endeavoured  to  see  everyone  of  those 
who  voted  against  Lord  Hardwicke's  Grace  and  a  few 
more.'  Yet  he  was  certainly  disappointed  by  his  visit. 
He  had  seen  no  sign  of  wavering  among  Hardwicke's 
friends,  and  his  idea  of  proceeding  by  petition  to  the 
King  in  Council  was  so  unfavourably  received  that  he 
abandoned  it^. 

1  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  49. 

2  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  7,  f.  15,  f.  21.  Lowther  was  a  kinsman  of 
Sir  William  Lowther  who  was  a  supporter  of  the  government  and 
Sandwich;  and  therefore  his  presence  in  hall  may  have  been  due 
more  to  political  conviction  than  to  greed. 

^  Possibly  Sandwich  discovered  that,  as  the  university  did  not 
recognise  the  crown  as  visitor,  an  appeal  for  redress  against  a  Vice- 
Chancellor  must  go  to  the  court  of  King's  Bench  and  not  to  the  King 
in  Council.  Newcastle,  writing  to  Charles  Yorke  on  April  19th,  1764, 
says  'The  Bishop  of  Ely  also  wishes  to  see  you  on  the  subject  of  the 


ii6    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

Yet  though  his  visit  had  been  a  failure,  it  was  rich 
in  consequences  for  a  certain  college  of  the  university. 
The  Master  of  Trinity  was  greatly  annoyed  by  the 
conduct  of  the  undergraduates  on  the  occasion  when 
Sandwich  dined  in  hall,  and  was  determined  that  they 
should  feel  the  weight  of  his  displeasure.  He  desired 
that  they  should  be  commanded  to  sign  a  declaration, 
confessing  that  by  their  conduct  they  had  debased 
themselves,  dishonoured  the  college,  and  merited  the 
penalty  of  expulsion^;  but  as  he  could  take  no  action 
without  the  Seniority,  consisting  of  the  eight  senior 
Fellows,  it  was  by  no  means  certain  that  he  could 
execute  his  project.  Of  the  eight  seniors  six  were  sup- 
porters of  Hardwicke  and  therefore  certain  to  oppose 
power  of  visitation  in  the  crown ;  and,  particularly,  as  to  the  declaration 
of  my  Lord  Chief  Justice  Pratt  in  Dr  Bentley's  case  to  Dr  Snape,  then 
Vice-Chancellor,  and  the  members  of  the  university  who  attended  the 
King's  Bench  with  him.  He  asked  the  Vice-Chancellor  whether  they 
claimed  or  admitted  any  local  visitor  or  acknowledged  the  power  of 
the  crown  to  visit.  Dr  Snape  answered  no,  neither,  that  they  insisted 
that  the  trial  of  those  complaints  was  to  be  only  in  the  Vice-Chancellor's 
court.  Upon  which  the  Chief  Justice  replied,  '  If  you  have  no  visitor, 
the  court  of  King's  Bench  shall  take  cognizance  of  this  complaint.' 
Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  172.  See  also  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  84,  and  Monk's 
Life  of  Bentley,  11,  204. 

^  The  document  ran  as  follows:  'It  being  notorious  that  not  one  of 
the  scholars  of  the  house,  and  but  one  of  the  pensioners,  did  appear 
in  the  college  hall  on  Friday,  the  6th  April  last,  when,  by  invitation 
from  the  Master  and  seniors,  the  Earl  of  Sandwich,  Lord  Townshend 
and  Lord  Carysfort  were  entertained  there;  we,  whose  names  are  under- 
written, do  confess  that,  being  then  in  commons,  we  did  knowingly 
and  wilfully  conspire  to  be  absent  from  the  hall,  as  above  mentioned, 
in  open  contempt  and  defiance  of  all  decency,  disciphne  and  govern- 
ment; and  having  thus  debased  ourselves  and  dishonoured  the  college 
by  branding  it  with  disgrace  and  infamy,  we  confess  we  have  incurred 
the  penalty  of  expulsion  by  the  38th  statute,  de  poena  majorum 
criminum  et  minorum;  and  do  receive  from  our  governours  this 
admonition  in  order  to  expulsion  instead  of  expulsion  itself  which  we 
have  justly  deserved.'  Trinity  College  Admission  Book;  Add.  MS. 
32958,  f.  383. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     117 

any  punishment  of  the  undergraduates  for  demonstrating 
against  Sandwich;  but  nevertheless  Dr  Smith,  in  spite 
of  all  difficulties,  succeeded  in  attaining  his  end.  It  was 
provided  that  if,  when  the  Seniority  was  summoned, 
any  members  of  that  body  were  absent,  their  places 
should  be  taken  by  those  who  came  immediately  after 
the  seniors  on  the  roll  of  Fellows;  and,  by  biding  his 
time,  the  Master  was  able  to  obtain  a  majority  for  his 
proposal.  He  waited  until  three  of  the  seniors  opposed 
to  him  were  away,  and  then  summoned  a  meeting  of  the 
Seniority,  knowing  quite  well  that  the  places  of  two  at 
least  of  the  three  absent  members  would  be  taken  by 
his  own  personal  adherents,  and  that  he  would  thus  have 
a  majority. 

'On  Friday  last,'  wrote  Backhouse  to  Newcastle  on  Sunday 
May  13th,  'when  Davis,  Meredith  and  Newbon  (our  friends  in 
the  present  cause)  were  out  of  college,  the  Master,  having 
previously  converted  Powell  and  Place,  summoned  the  seniors 
to  confirm  the  sentence  he  had  drawn  up  for  the  undergraduates, 

which  at  last,  after  a  sort,  he  effected Mr  Brockett  was  of  the 

Seniority,  and,  I  need  scarce  tell  your  Lordship,  most  violent 
in  his  counsels.  The  next  day  he  declared  in  a  public  coffee- 
house that,  now  the  sword  w^as  drawn  in  Trinity  college,  it 
should  never  be  sheathed  whilst  there  was  one  left  standing  in 
the  field.  To  give  your  Lordship  a  specimen  of  the  Master's 
behaviour  at  the  meeting,  I  mention  the  following  circumstance, 
viz.,  when  he  was  pressed  to  a  non-plus  about  the  true  sense  and 
meaning  of  a  clause  in  the  statute,  de  pona  (sic)  majorum 
criminum,  he  commanded  me  in  a  magisterial  strain  to  be  silent, 
alledging  this  reason  for  it,  that  the  interpretation  of  the  statutes 
belonged  to  the  Master  alone  and  the  seniors  had  nothing  to  do 
with  it^.' 

^  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  382.  'The  four  seniors  who  concurred  with 
the  Master  (whose  concurrence  made  a  majority)  were  Dr  Walker, 
Mr  Powell,  Mr  Place,  Mr  Brockett.  The  Master  availed  himself  of 
the  absence  of  Dr  Davis  and  Mr  Newbon;  for,  hy  their  going  out  of 
college,  Place  and  Brockett  came  into  the  number  of  the  eight  resident 
seniors.'  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  429. 


ii8    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

The  Master  however  found  it  easier  to  subdue  the 
seniors  than  the  undergraduates,  of  whom  only  four 
signed  the  admonition  when  first  called  upon  to  do  so. 
The  remainder,  knowing  that  if  expelled  they  would 
be  readily  taken  in  at  other  colleges,  raised  the  flag  of 
rebellion  and  defied  the  authorities^.  The  Master  and 
seniors,  confronted  by  such  resistance,  could  not  im- 
mediately capitulate  and  withdraw  the  admonition,  but 
it  was  equally  certain  that  they  could  not  proceed  to  a 
wholesale  expulsion  and  reduce  the  college  to  four 
undergraduates.  As  a  compromise  they  decreed  on 
May  14th  that  'none  of  the  pensioners,  who  will  not 
subscribe  the  admonition  to-morrow  evening  after 
chapel,  shall  be  permitted  to  offer  himself  a  candidate 
for  scholarships';  and,  as  only  a  portion  of  the  under- 
graduates were  affected  by  this  order,  it  was  agreed  to 
defer  the  punishment  of  the  scholars  and  those  pen- 
sioners, not  competing  for  scholarships,  for  future  con- 
sideration^. 

Only  a  single  undergraduate,  James  Carrington,  was 
induced,  by  anxiety  for  a  scholarship,  to  sign  the 
admonition :  the  others  continued  impenitent  and  doubt- 
less thoroughly  enjoyed  combining  the  roles  of  rebel 
and  martyr.  They  were  moreover  encouraged  to  con- 
tinue their  resistance  by  the  knowledge  that  the  action 
of  the  authorities  was  widely  condemned.  It  was  re- 
ported that  legal  proceedings  were  threatened  by  the 
father  of  an  undergraduate  who  was  denied  admission 
to  his  Westminster  scholarship^;  and  Lord  Chief  Justice 
Pratt  marked  his  disapproval  by  removing  his  nephew, 
Harding,  from  the  college. 

'Lord  Chief  Justice  Pratt'  wrote  the  Master  of  Jesus  to 
Newcastle  on  June  23rd  'has  at  length  taken  away  his  nephew, 
Harding,  from  Trinity  college  and  from  the  university:  there 

1  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  382,  f.  476.         2  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  386. 
3  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  129. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     119 

has  been  much  altercation  about  it.  The  Master  has  been  pressed 
to  declare  what  punishment  of  the  scholars  will  satisfy  him  but 
cannot  be  brought  to  speak  plain.  The  Chief  Justice  therefore, 
in  his  last  letter  to  Mr  Whisson,  says  that  he  cannot  wish  his 
nephew  to  sign  so  base  a  submission  as  is  proposed,  nor  suffer 
him  to  stay  in  the  college  exposed  to  the  future  vengeance  of 
the  Master  and  seniors,  to  be  wreaked  upon  him  at  a  time  when 
they  can  most  essentially  hurt  him^.' 

On  the  same  day  that  Dr  Caryl  communicated  this 
information  to  Newcastle,  the  Master  of  Trinity,  at 
last  realising  that  he  was  contending  against  insuperable 
odds,  surrendered;  and  at  his  suggestion  the  Seniority 
passed  an  act  of  oblivion. 

'  In  order  to  restore  tranquillity  and  time  for  study,'  runs  the 
entry  in  the  college  Admission  Book,  'the  Master  and  seniors 
have  pardoned  all  the  offenders  in  the  case  above  mentioned,  or 
any  way  relating  to  it,  even  those  who  refused  to  sign  the 
admonition^.' 

The  surrender  was  thus  complete  and  unconditional, 
and  the  episode  is  of  a  piece  with  all  Dr  Smith's 
activities  on  behalf  of  Sandwich.  As  a  mathematician 
he  was  not  particularly  distinguished  and  as  a  politician 
he  was  beneath  contempt.  By  bullying  his  Fellows  to 
vote  for  Sandwich  he  had  made  many  converts  to 
Hardwicke,  and  by  attempting  to  punish  the  under- 
graduates for  an  offence  which  a  wise  man  would  have 
left  unnoticed,  he  seriously  undermined  the  discipline 
of  the  college.  He  can  perhaps  be  most  fittingly 
described  as  a  pinchbeck  Bentley^. 

^  Add.  MS.  32960,  f.  46.  ^  Trinity  College  Admission  Book. 

^  In  spite  of  the  act  of  oblivion  the  Master  and  his  allies  appear 
to  have  continued  a  petty  persecution.  'The  act  of  oblivion'  wrote  the 
Master  of  Jesus  on  June  30th  'is  not  so  absolute  as  it  was  given  out  to 
be;  for  one  of  the  young  gentlemen  has  since  asked  for  a  bene  discessit 
to  remove  to  Queens'  and  been  refused;  though  it  was  what  he  intended 
before  Lord  Sandwich  came  down,  and  no  objection,  I  am  told,  can 
be  made  to  him  but  his  absence  from  hall  on  that  night.'  Add.  MS. 
32960,  f.  143. 


120    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

While  Dr  Smith  had  been  quarrelling  with  his  under- 
graduates, Newcastle  and  his  friends  had  been  collecting 
evidence  in  support  of  Hardwicke's  election;  and  the 
task  was  not  an  easy  one.  If  a  second  election  was  to  be 
avoided,  it  was  necessary  to  show  that  one  or  more  of 
those  who  had  voted  in  the  regents'  house  for  Sand- 
wich, were  either  disqualified  from  voting  or  had  voted 
in  the  wrong  house;  and  it  was  therefore  with  great  joy 
that  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  told  Newcastle  that  Thomas 
Pitt,  who  had  non-placeted  the  Grace  in  the  regents' 
house  on  March  30th,  was  already  at  that  time  a  non- 
regent.  Thomas  Pitt^,  who  had  been  a  Fellow  Com- 
moner at  Clare,  was  admitted  to  his  degree  of  master 
of  arts  on  July  i8th,  1758,  and,  save  for  exceptional 
circumstances,  he  would  still  have  been  a  regent  on 
the  day  of  the  voting  upon  Lord  Hardwicke's  Grace, 
as  the  five  years  of  regency  were  dated  not  from  the 
admission  to  the  degree  but  from  the  creation  at  the 
subsequent  'Commencement.'  Pitt  however  had  re- 
ceived his  degree  by  royal  mandate,  and  those  who 
received  mandate  degrees  were  'created  immediately 
and  their  creation  makes  their  commencement^.'  He 
had  therefore  ceased  to  be  a  regent  by  July  i8th, 
1763. 

It  seems  improbable  that  Sandwich's  supporters 
were  unaware  of  this  distinction  between  mandate  and 
other  degrees;  and  it  is  more  likely  that  either  they  did 
not  know  that  Pitt  had  taken  his  degree  by  mandate  or 
knew  that  he  had  done  so  and  took  the  risk  of  the  truth 
being  discovered  by  their  adversaries.  But  whether  they 
were  careless  or  cunning,  they  were  delivered  into  the 
hands  of  their  opponents.  Newcastle,  ever  haunted  by 
the  fear  that  there  might  have  to  be  another  election, 

1  He  was  a  nephew  of  William  Pitt,  Earl  of  Chatham,  and  was 
later  created  Lord  Camelford. 

2  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  23;  see  also  Add.  MS.  32879,  f.  463. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     121 

rose  at  once  to  the  heights  of  optimism  and  jumped  to 
the  conclusion  that  Hardwicke's  election  was  already 
to  all  intents  and  purposes  established. 

'For,  as  I  conceive  it,'  he  wrote,  'the  election  is  already  over 
and  the  demonstration  we  have... that  Mr  Pitt's  vote  must  be 
set  aside,  we  have  a  clear  majority  in  both  houses  in  support  of 
your  nomination  of  the  Earl  of  Hardwicke,  and  God  forbid  that 
in  this  country  there  should  be  anywhere  a  right  and  no  remedy. 
But  where  that  remedy  is  properly  to  be  applied  for,  whether 
to  you  as  Vice-Chancellor,  to  your  court,  or  to  a  congregation 
to  be  summoned  by  you  for  that  purpose,  or,  as  I  rather  fancy 
will  be  the  case,  to  the  court  of  King's  Bench  for  a  mandamus 
to  carry  the  election  of  my  Lord  Hardwicke  into  execution  and 
to  put  his  Lordship  into  his  office  to  which  he  is  duly  elected 
— you,  sir,  and  our  friends  in  the  university,  and  Mr  Yorke  and 
Mr  Wilbraham  (who  are  my  Lord  Hardwicke's  council)  must 
determine^.' 

The  Duke  however  was  to  discover  that  lawyers 
decline  to  be  hurried,  and  that  it  is  their  business  to  see 
obstacles  and  difficulties  not  apparent  to  the  lay  mind. 
Charles  Yorke  was  inclined  at  first  to  think  that  the 
wisest  course  would  be  to  allow  Sandwich  to  make  the 
first  move^;  but  in  any  case  he  refused  to  commit  him- 
self to  a  plan  of  campaign^  without  knowing  'the  rules, 
customs  and  laws  of  the  university.'  When  this  in- 
formation had  been  collected,  he  pointed  out  that  there 
was  no  evidence  that  Pitt  had  non-placeted  the  Grace, 
and  that  until  this  evidence  was  forthcoming  it  was 
useless  to  proceed.  It  was  by  no  means  certain  how- 
ever that  this  very  necessary  piece  of  evidence  could 
be  produced.  The  Proctors  were  bound  by  oath  and 
statute  not  to  reveal  a  vote,  and  Pitt  could  not  be  com- 
pelled to  declare  how  he  had  voted.  Charles  Yorke  was 
even    doubtful    if  a   court    of   law  would    admit    his 

1  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  86.       2  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  303. 
3  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  182,  f.  192. 


122    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

evidence  if  he  offered  it  of  his  own  accord^;  but,  as  this 
was  at  least  doubtful,  it  was  agreed  that  Talbot  should 
write  and  ask  Pitt  to  'make  an  affidavit  of  his  having 
given  a  non-placet  in  the  regents'  house  on  the  30th 
of  March^.'  Nearly  three  weeks  elapsed  before  Talbot 
received  Pitt's  reply  which  was  a  firm  refusal. 

'I  must  say'  he  answered  'I  should  look  upon  myself  as 
guilty  of  very  great  injustice  if  I  could  be  prevailed  upon,  in  so 
ligitable  a  point,  to  furnish  weapons  to  one  party  against  the 
other,  before  it  is  determined  whether  I  can  properly  be  called 
upon  to  give  evidence  at  all  in  this  affair^.' 

His  delay  in  answering  had  made  his  refusal  a  fore- 
gone conclusion,  and,  before  his  reply  had  been  received, 
another  expedient  was  under  consideration.  With  the 
subtlety  of  a  theologian  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln  pointed 
out  that,  though  a  Proctor  was  bound  by  oath  and 
statute  not  to  reveal  a  vote,  this  prohibition  could  not 
apply  to  a  vote  illegally  given,  which  was  indeed  no 
vote  at  all.  The  Bishop  therefore  arranged  that  Long- 
mire  should  be  asked  whether  he  would  reveal  Pitt's 
vote  if  convinced  that  it  was  invalid;  and  the  senior 
Proctor  replied  that  if  it  could  be  proved  to  him,  beyond 
all  shadow  of  doubt,  that  Pitt  was  a  non-regent  on  the 
day  that  Lord  Hardwicke's  Grace  was  voted  upon,  he 
would  regard  himself  as  not  bound  by  his  oath.  Con- 
sequently the  Master  of  Jesus  and  others  set  to  work 
to  collect  'evidence,  as  far  as  we  can,  for  Mr  Longmire's 
satisfaction*';  and  their  labours  were  successful,  for  by 
about  the  middle  of  June  the  senior  Proctor  had  under- 
taken to  reveal  the  important  secret. 

The  conversion  of  Longmire  enabled  immediate 
action  to  be  taken.   It  was  arranged  that  a  patent  of 

1  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  359;  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  3,  f.  75- 

2  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  138;  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  376,  f.  392. 

3  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  140;  see  also  f.  138,  f.  470. 

4  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  142. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     123 

Hardwicke's  election  as  High  Steward  should  be 
drawn  up,  and  that  the  Vice-Chancellor,  the  two 
Scrutators  and  the  two  Proctors,  as  the  seal-keepers  of 
the  university,  should  be  asked  to  fix  the  seal  of  the 
university  to  it.  But  as  the  five  seal-keepers  had  to  be 
unanimous,  it  was  certain  that  the  request  would  be 
refused,  the  junior  Scrutator  and  the  junior  Proctor 
both  being  supporters  of  Sandwich;  and,  in  consequence 
of  this  refusal,  the  court  of  King's  Bench  could  be 
petitioned  for  a  writ  of  mandamus^.  In  accordance  with 
this  plan  Lord  Hardwicke's  solicitor,  Vernon,  arrived 
in  Cambridge,  and,  assisted  by  the  Master  of  Jesus, 
drew  up  a  patent  of  Hardwicke's  election  and  then 

demanded  of  the  five  chest-keepers  severally  the  seal  to  be  put 
to  it  and  wrote  dow^n  their  several  answ^ers.  The  Vice-Chancellor 
thought  that  my  Lord  Hardw^icke  had  been  fairly  elected  but, 
as  he  had  not  been  duly  declared  so,  he  could  not  think  himself 
at  liberty  to  seal  the  patent.  The  senior  Proctor  and  senior 
Scrutator  answered  in  some  such  qualified  manner:  the  other 
Proctor  and  Scrutator  more  bluntly.  Mr  Vernon  afterwards 
waited  upon  them  all  together,  assembled  at  the  Vice-Chan- 
cellor's, tendered  the  patent  and  his  commission  from  Lord 
Hardwicke,  and  then  retired:  in  a  few  minutes  he  was  called 
in  and  the  Vice-Chancellor  told  him,  in  the  name  of  them  all, 
that  they  had  considered  his  Lordship's  demand  but  could  not 
comply  with  it^. 

The  refusal  had  of  course  been  foreseen  and  anticipated; 
and  during  his  stay  in  Cambridge  Vernon  had  collected 
seven  affidavits,  including  one  from  Longmire  stating 
that  Pitt  had  voted  non-placet  in  the  regents'  house^. 

All  was  now  ready  for  the  case  to  be  taken  to  the 
courts,  and  on  June  28th  the  Solicitor-General,  Vv'^illiam 
De  Grey,  moved  on  behalf  of  Hardwicke  in  the  court 
of  King's   Bench  that  the   seal-keepers   should   show 

1  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  304.  2  Add.  MS.  32960,  f.  56. 

3  Add.  MS.  32960,  f.  46. 


124    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

cause  for  refusing  to  seal  Lord  Hardwicke's  patent.  At 
the  suggestion  of  Lord  Chief  Justice  Mansfield,  who 
pointed  out  that  the  seal-keepers  might  fairly  retort 
that,  as  the  Proctors  had  made  no  return,  they  could 
not  affix  the  seal,  De  Grey  extended  his  motion;  and 
finally, 

the  rule  was  granted  by  the  court  for  showing  cause  on  Monday 
se'nnight  why  three  writs  of  mandamus  should  not  issue;  one  to 
the  Vice-Chancellor  to  hold  a  congregation,  another  to  the 
Proctors  to  make  a  return  of  the  Grace,  and  the  third  to  the 
keepers  of  the  chest  to  seal  the  patent^. 

On  'Monday  se'nnight,'  which  was  July  9th,  Sand- 
wich's counsel  asked  that  his  client  should  be  allowed 
until  the  Michaelmas  term  to  show  cause,  alleging  that 
time  was  required  for  the  collection  of  the  necessary 
evidence;  and  the  plea  was  allowed.  'This  is  the  common 
way  of  proceeding  in  like  cases^,'  wrote  Dr  Powell  to 
Newcastle  who  however  was  too  disappointed  to 
accept  comfort.  Though  he  had  always  feared  the  pro- 
verbial delay  of  the  law,  he  had  continued  to  hope  for 
a  speedy  settlement;  and  his  anxiety  was  justified.  He  had 
to  reckon  with  the  possibility  of  Hardwicke  losing  his 
case  and  consequently  another  election  being  held;  and 
if  the  second  election  was  not  held  until  the  Michaelmas 
term  was  well  on  its  way,  it  might  possibly  have  to  be 
fought  under  unfavourable  conditions.  With  the  new 
academical  year  there  would  be  a  new  Vice-Chancellor, 
a  new  Caput,  new  Scrutators,  and  new  Proctors;  and 
until  these  new  brooms  were  known,  it  was  impossible 
to  tell  how  they  would  sweep.  Newcastle  had  therefore 
desired  a  speedy  end  to  the  lawsuit^;  but  when  it  be- 
came clear  that  this  was  not  to  be,  he  plunged  again 
into  the  troubled  sea  of  university  politics,  and  sought 

^  Add.  MS.  32960,  f.  112;  see  also  f.  99,  f.  125,  f.  143. 
^  Add.  MS.  32960,  f.  229;  see  also  f.  226. 
3  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  103,  f.  423,  f.  476. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     125 

to  secure  that  the  changes,  incidental  to  the  new  aca- 
demical year,  worked  for  the  good  of  his  party.  As  the 
Vice-Chancellor  continued  in  office  until  the  beginning 
of  November,  the  question  of  finding  a  suitable  suc- 
cessor to  Elliston  was  not  of  such  pressing  urgency  as 
the  election  of  a  new  Caput,  which  was  fixed  by  statute 
for  October  12th,  and  the  admission  of  new  Proctors 
and  Scrutators  which  occurred  two  days  earlier.  The 
Duke  was   indeed  completely  powerless   with  regard 
to  the  appointment  of  Proctors  and   Scrutators  who 
were  nominated  by  the  different  colleges  in  a  prescribed 
order  of  rotation;  but  he  was  served  by  good  fortune 
and  had  no  cause  to  regret  his  impotence.  On  October 
loth  Longmire  and  Forster  were  succeeded  as  Proctors 
by  Murhall  of  Christ's  and  Martyn  of  Sidney,  who 
were  both  supporters  of  Hardwicke;  and  though  one 
of  the  new  Scrutators  was  a  member  of  the  Sandwich 
party,  the  other  was  Peck  of  Trinity,  who  had  voted 
for  the  Grace  on  March  30th^.  Thus  three  out  of  the 
four  new  officers  were  Newcastle's  friends;  and,  as  they 
would  play  a  leading  part  with  the  Vice-Chancellor  in 
the  election  of  the  new  Caput,  the  gain  was  material. 
It  was  clearly  necessary,  as  there  was  a  possibility  of  a 
second  election,  to  secure  the  exclusion  of  all  supporters 
of  Sandwich  from  the  new  Caput;  and  with  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  and  the  two  Proctors  as  supporters  of  Hard- 
wicke, the  task  was  comparatively  easy.  Only  Heads  of 
Houses,  doctors,  and  the  two  Scrutators  were  entitled 
to  vote  at  election  of  a  Caput;  and  their  choice  was 
limited  to  the  fifteen  candidates  named  in  the  three  lists 
presented  by  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  the  two  Proctors, 
each  list  containing  five  names.  It  was  therefore  easy  to 
arrange  that  not  a  single  adherent  uf  Sandwich  should 
be  among  the  fifteen  candidates  nominated  for  election. 
'Now  as   the  three   nominators  are  all   of  them   our 
1  Add.  MS.  32960,  f.  143. 


126    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

friends,'  wrote  the  Master  of  Jesus  to  Newcastle,  *we 
may  hope  that  all  the  fifteen  will  be  nominated  from 
amongst  our  friends  also,  and  consequently  we  cannot 
well  fail  of  having  a  good  Caput^.' 

The  hopes  of  the  Master  of  Jesus  were  fully  realised. 
As  it  was  customary  to  vote  for  the  candidates  nomi- 
nated by  the  Vice-Chancellor,  it  was  arranged  that 
Elliston's  list  should  contain  the  names  of  those  persons 
whose  election  was  most  desired  by  the  Newcastle 
party;  but  no  risks  were  run  and  none  but  trustworthy 
persons  were  placed  on  the  lists  of  the  two  Proctors^. 
No  anxiety  was  therefore  felt,  and  the  success  of  the 
Vice-Chancellor's  nominees  was  taken  as  certain  until 
the  eve  of  the  election  when  it  became  known  that 
certain  friends  of  Sandwich  among  the  doctors  had 
arrived  unexpectedly  in  Cambridge^.  These  late-comers 
held  a  meeting  at  which  it  was  agreed  that  'the  Master 
of  Clare  Hall  should  take  the  lead  and  the  rest  of  the 
party  observe  to  act  as  he  did*';  and,  though  it  is  by 
no  means  clear  what  lead  the  Master  of  Clare  was  in- 
tended to  take,  it  is  possible  that  his  idea  was  to  vote 
for  the  candidates  nominated  by  the  junior  Proctor  as 
being  probably  those  whose  election  was  least  desired 
by  Hardwicke's  supporters^.    If  this  however  was  the 

1  Add.  MS.  32960,  f.  143. 

2  Newcastle  only  reluctantly  agreed  to  the  inclusion  of  Dr  Hallifax 
of  Trinity  Hall  among  those  nominated,  and  stipulated  that  he  should 
'previously  give  some  assurance  as  to  his  behaviour,  as  far  at  least  as 
regards  the  election  of  the  High  Steward.'  Dr  Hallifax  had  failed  to 
support  the  Duke's  candidate  in  a  recent  election  of  a  Master  of  Trinity 
Hall,  and  Newcastle  therefore  regarded  him  with  suspicion.  Add. 
MS.  32960,  f.  94;  Add.  MS.  32961,  {.  293. 

3  Add.  MS.  32962,  f  284.  4  UiJ. 

^  'Yesterday'  wrote  the  Master  of  Jesus  on  October  13th  'we 
assembled  in  the  Senate  house  before  two,  and  the  first  intelligence 
I  had  there  was  from  Mr  Backhouse  who  told  me  that  the  Vice-Master 
had  been  with  him  from  the  Master  to  recommend  the  junior  Proctor's 
list,  and  that  he  had  sent  word  to  the  Master  that  he  thought  himself 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     127 

design,  it  failed  dismally  in  execution.  The  followers  of 
Sandwich,  either  from  lack  of  preparation  or  rendered 
reckless  by  knowing  how  little  they  could  do,  appear 
to  have  voted  at  random;  and  the  candidates  on  the 
Vice-Chancellor's  list  were  'chosen  by  twenty-two  out 
of  thirty-two^.' 

Up  to  this  point  Newcastle  had  undoubtedly  been 
very  successful  and  he  realised  that  fortune  had  been 
kind  to  him.  'I  hear'  he  commented  'the  enemy  is 
very  angry  at  our  having  secured  the  whole  Caput.  How 
could  they  expect  otherwise  when  the  election  or 
nomination  was  entirely  in  our  friends  and  none  else^.' 
But  he  knew  that  his  task  was  not  completed  and  that 
he  now  had  to  secure  the  appointment  of  a  suitable 
successor  to  Elliston  who  would  resign  the  office  of 
Vice-Chancellor  early  in  November.  Unless  he  was 
successful  in  this  also,  it  would  avail  him  little  to  have 
secured  a  compliant  Caput;  and  it  was  by  no  means 
certain  that  he  would  be  able  to  crown  his  work  in  the 
way  he  desired. 

It  has  been  previously  mentioned  that  the  election 
by  the  Senate  of  a  Vice-Chancellor  from  among  the  two 
candidates  nominated  by  the  Heads  of  Houses  had 
become  little  more  than  a  form;  and  that  it  was  cus- 
tomary to  elect  the  senior  by  degree  among  the  Heads 
of  Houses  who  had  never  held  the  office.  If  it  happened, 
as  it  occasionally  did,  that  all  the  Heads  had  been  Vice- 
Chancellor  in  their  turn,  it  was  usual  to  re-appoint  the 
one  who  had  least  recently  served.  Consequently  it  was 
impossible  to  predict  the  order  of  succession  which  was 

old  enough  to  judge  how  to  give  his  vote  in  that  and  in  all  other  cases. 
Upon  this  we  concluded  that  they  had  agreed  all  to  vote  for  the  junior 
Proctor's  list,  and  therefore  changed  our  own  plan  hy  putting  Dr  Wynne 
and  Dr  Glynn  into  the  junior  Proctor's  list,  whom  we  had  before 
designed  for  the  senior  Proctor's.'  Add.  MS.  32962,  f.  294. 

1  Add.  MS.  32962,  f.  284;  see  also  f.  280,  f.  294. 

2  Add.  MS.  32963,^74. 


128    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

always  liable  to  be  changed  by  the  death  or  resignation 
of  a  Head;  and  although  this  uncertainty  was  of  little 
moment  in  ordinary  times,  it  was  particularly  menacing 
to  Newcastle's  plans  at  this  particular  juncture.  It  was 
of  the  greatest  importance  that  the  new  Vice-Chancellor 
should  be  a  friend;  but,  if  the  usual  procedure  was 
followed,  the  Duke  could  not  tell  until  the  last  moment 
upon  whom  the  lot  would  fall.  He  therefore  contem- 
plated finding  salvation  by  persuading  Dr  Elliston  to 
continue  Vice-Chancellor  for  another  year.  He  would 
thereby  free  himself  from  a  considerable  burden  of 
anxiety;  and  the  continuance  of  a  Vice-Chancellor  for  a 
second  year  of  office  could  be  supported  by  recent 
precedents.  In  the  early  days  of  his  Chancellorship  the 
Duke  had  actively  encouraged  such  prolongations,  and 
had  twice  succeeded  in  obtaining  the  re-election  of  a 
Vice-Chancellor  particularly  pleasing  to  him;  but  when 
a  cry  had  been  raised  against  such  a  breach  of  established 
custom,  he  had  wisely  deferred  to  public  opinion  and 
abandoned  the  practice.  That  he  now  thought  of  re- 
viving it  is  a  measure  of  his  anxiety;  but  fortunately 
he  was  dissuaded  by  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln  from  re- 
sorting to  a  desperate  expedient  which  would  almost 
certainly  have  caused  considerable  offence  in  the  uni- 
versity^. 

It  was  wise  of  the  Duke  to  refrain  from  taking  a 
short  but  dangerous  cut  out  of  his  difficulties,  and 
certainly  his  best  policy  was  to  wait  upon  events.  The 
unforeseen  was  the  predominating  element  in  the  situa- 
tion; and  it  was  clearly  impossible  to  formulate  a  definite 
policy  until  Elliston's  resignation  was  imminent.  It 
happened  that  in  April  1764  there  was  not  a  single 
Head  of  a  House  who  had  not  been  Vice-Chancellor, 
and,  unless  there  was  a  change  before  the  following 

1  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  103;  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  304,  f.  423.  See 
Chap.  in. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     129 

November,  the  successor  to  Elliston  would  be  Dr  Long, 
Master  of  Pembroke,  who  was  one  of  Sandwich's  most 
loyal  followers.  The  Duke  however  had  it  in  his  power 
to  avert  this  disaster  by  calling  upon  the  Bishop  of 
Lincoln  to  resign  the  mastership  of  Corpus;  for  the 
Bishop's  successor  in  the  mastership  would  precede 
Dr  Long  in  the  Vice-Chancellorship;  and,  as  the  Bishop 
had  long  been  anxious  to  confine  himself  to  his  episcopal 
duties,  Newcastle  could  count  upon  his  ready  acqui- 
escence^. But  he  knew  too  well  the  value  of  the  Bishop 
lightly  to  discard  him,  and  rightly  refused  to  be  panic- 
driven  into  immediate  action.  He  judged  that  there  was 
nothing  to  be  lost  by  waiting,  and  that  before  November 
the  death  or  resignation  of  a  Head  might  exclude 
Dr  Long  from  the  Vice-Chancellorship  and  make  it 
unnecessary  for  the  Bishop  to  retire.  And  the  opportunity, 
for  which  he  was  waiting,  came  sooner  than  he  expected; 
ror  in  May  occurred  the  death  of  Sir  Edward  Simpson, 
Master  of  Trinity  Hall.  W^ithout  loss  of  time  Newcastle 
threw  himself  into  the  fray  and  laboured  hard  to  secure 
the  appointment  of  a  friend  as  Simpson's  successor;  but 
on  this  occasion  he  toiled  in  vain.  James  Marriott,  who, 
after  being  for  many  years  in  close  and  intimate  rela- 
tions with  the  Duke,  had  recently  deserted  to  Sandwich, 
was  elected  Master  of  Trinity  Hall,  and  consequently, 
unless  there  was  a  change  in  the  situation  before 
November,  would  succeed  Elliston  as  Vice-Chancellor. 
Thus  the  last  state  was  worse  than  the  first,  and  the 
Duke  was  driven  to  do  that  which  he  was  loath  to  do. 
' The  only  sure  way'  he  wrote  a  few  days  after  Marriott's 
election  'of  having  a  Vice-Chancellor  we  can  depend 
upon,  I  am  afraid  must  be  by  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln's 
resignation.  It  is  a  sad  expedient  and  will  be  found  so^.' 
But  the  expedient,  though  sad,  was  not  difficult  of  execu- 

^  Master's  History  of  Corpus  Christi  College,  with  additional  notes 
by  John  Lamb,  p.  251.  ^  Add.  MS.  32960,  f.  94. 


130    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

tion,  as  there  was  an  understanding  between  the  Bishop 
and  his  Fellows  that  they  should  elect  as  his  successor, 
John  Barnardiston,  a  follower  of  Hardwicke^.  As 
Barnardiston  however  was  only  a  master  of  arts  and 
Marriott  a  doctor  of  laws,  the  latter,  as  the  senior  by 
degree,  would  have  the  first  claim  upon  the  Vice- 
Chancellorship;  and  it  was  therefore  arranged  that 
Barnardiston  should  take  the  degree  of  doctor  of 
divinity  and  thereby  obtain  precedence  over  Marriott^. 
This  programme  was  carried  out  shortly  after  Marriott 
had  succeeded  Simpson  at  Trinity  Hall.  On  June  30th 
Barnardiston  was  admitted  to  the  degree  of  doctor  of 
divinity,  and  on  July  12th  was  elected  to  the  master- 
ship of  Corpus  which  had  been  resigned  by  the  Bishop 
of  Lincoln  a  few  days  before^. 

Thus  the  situation  was  redressed;  but  the  battle  was 
by  no  means  over  or  the  issue  certain.  If  the  usual 
procedure  was  followed,  Barnardiston  and  Marriott 
would  be  nominated  by  the  Heads  and  the  former 
elected  by  the  Senate;  but  it  was  at  least  doubtful 
whether  this  constitutional  convention  would  be  re- 
spected. Party  feeling  was  running  high  in  the  univer- 
sity, men  were  in  the  mood  to  violate  time-honoured 
traditions,  and  the  Master  of  Corpus'  claim  to  be 
appointed  Vice-Chancellor  rested  upon  nothing  more 
substantial  than  custom.  Such  a  foundation  might  well 
prove  unable  to  withstand  the  clash  of  warring  parties; 
and  as  of  the  sixteen  Heads  of  Houses  seven  were 
avowed  supporters  of  Sandwich,  and  one,  the  Master  of 
Emmanuel,  had  only  reluctantly  voted  for  Lord  Hard- 
wicke's  Grace^,  Barnardiston's  nomination  could  not  be 

1  Master's  History  of  Corpus  Chris ti  College,  p.   251;  Add.    MS. 
32959,  f.  423. 

2  Doctors  of  divinity  ranked  above  doctors  of  laws. 

3  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  156;  Add.  MS.  32960,  f.  256. 

^  The  seven  certain  supporters  of  Sandwich  among  the  Heads  of 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     131 

treated  as  a  certainty.  The  Heads  were  too  equally 
divided  to  allow  either  party  to  be  confident  of  victory; 
but  the  balance  of  advantage  rested  with  the  supporters 
of  Hardwicke,  as  it  was  provided  by  the  statutes  that, 
in  the  event  of  the  candidates  tying  for  nomination  to 
the  Senate,  the  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity  should 
decide  between  them;  and  the  Regius  Professor  at  this 
time  was  Dr  Rutherforth  who  was  warmly  supporting 
Hardwicke. 

Such  was  the  situation  immediately  after  Barnardiston 
became  Master  of  Corpus;  and  it  was  naturally  feared 
that  Sandwich  would  not  tamely  submit  to  the  exclusion 
of  his  friend,  Marriott,  from  the  Vice-Chancellorship. 
But  a  further  complication  was  introduced  by  the  death 
on  August  7th  of  Sir  James  Burrough,  Master  of  Caius. 
Ten  days  after  Burrough's  death  the  Fellows  of  Caius 
elected  John  Smith  as  their  Master;  and  as  Smith  was 
only  a  master  of  arts  he  could  not  be  preferred  to  either 
Barnardiston  or  Marriott  for  the  Vice-Chancellorship. 
But  shortly  after  his  election  he  applied  to  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  for  the  degree  of  doctor  of  divinity  by 
royal  mandate,  and  Hardwicke's  supporters  were  quick 
to  see  how  much  they  stood  to  gain  by  complying  with 
his  wish.  'This  event  will  bid  fair  for  securing  a  quiet 
election  of  a  Vice-Chancellor,'  wrote  Dr  Caryl  to  the 
Duke,  'for  there  will  be  two  doctors  of  divinity  to  be 
nominated  by  the  Heads.  Dr  Marriott,  as  only  doctor 
of  laws,  will  be  excluded^.'  Moreover  there  were  good 
grounds  for  hoping  that  the  substitution  of  the  Master 
of  Caius  for  the  Master  of  Trinity  Hall,  as  the  second 

Houses  were  the  Provost  of  King's  and  the  Masters  of  Trinity,  Caius, 
Clare,  Pembroke,  St  Catharine's  and  Trinity  Hall.  'Emmanuel'  wrote 
Dr  Caryl  on  June  30th  'could  not  for  shame  but  be  with  us  in  Lord 
Hardwicke's  affair;  but  I  do  not  expect  his  assistance  on  any  other 
occasion.'  Add.  MS.  32960,  f.  143. 
1  Add.  MS.  32961,  f.  354. 


132    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

candidate  for  the  Vice-Chancellorship,  might  prevent  a 
contested  election;  as  in  his  anxiety  to  obtain  a  mandate 
degree,  Smith  went  so  far  as  to  deny  that  he  had 
any  intention  of  disturbing  'the  usual  course  of 
election  into  that  office^.'  Consequently  his  request 
was  granted  and  he  became  a  doctor  of  divinity  by 
royal  mandate^. 

Though  a  supporter  of  Sandwich  the  Master  of 
Caius  had  undoubtedly  played  into  the  hands  of  the 
Hardwicke  party;  but  as  the  day  of  election  drew  near, 
Newcastle  began  to  fear  that  all  might  not  go  according 
to  programme.  Dr  Smith's  engagement  not  to  disturb 
the  usual  course  of  election  was  personal  to  himself; 
and  it  was  significant  that  his  friends  and  the  Fellows 
of  his  college  declined  to  limit  their  liberty  of  action^. 
Moreover,  though  Marriott  had  apparently  taken  his 
exclusion  in  good  part,  and  had  declared  that  he  did 
not  intend  to  interfere  in  the  election,  he  had  given 
warning  that  he  meant  'to  be  on  the  spot  at  the  election 
for  Vice-Chancellor,'  and  it  was  feared  that  'if  he  can 
gain  any  point  for  himself,  he  will  not.  .  .much  mind 
the  loose  and  somewhat  general  expressions  he  has  dropt 
on  that  subject*.'  A  certain  amount  of  uneasiness  was 
also  caused  by  so  little  being  known  of  the  intentions 
of  the  Sandwich  party;  and,  though  it  was  tolerably 
certain  that  the  Masters  of  Corpus  and  Caius  would  be 
nominated,  it  was  feared  that  the  latter  might  be  elected 
by  the  Senate.  Both  candidates  had  only  very  recently 
become  doctors,  and  Barnardiston's  seniority  over 
Smith  was  slight  enough  to  afford  a  pretext  for  dis- 
regarding it. 

Aware  of  this  danger  Newcastle  contemplated  the 
possibility  of  persuading  his  friends  among  the  Heads 
to  pass  over  the  Master  of  Caius  and  nominate  one  of 

1  Add.MS.  32961,  f.  3  54,  f.  366.  2  Add.  MS.  32961,  f.  368. 

3  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  6.  4  Add.  MS.  32962,  f.  177. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     133 

themselves  with  the  Master  of  Corpus;  and,  though  he 
abandoned  the  scheme  when  it  was  pointed  out  that 
such  a  violation  of  constitutional  custom  would  cause 
widespread  offence  in  the  university,  he  was  obviously- 
very  unwilling  to  run  the  hazard  involved  in  the  Master 
of  Caius'  nomination^.  His  reluctance  was  justified,  for 
though  the  Senate  had  hitherto  presented  a  greater 
menace  than  the  Heads,  there  suddenly  appeared  a 
danger  of  the  Sandwich  party  being  able  to  prevent  the 
nomination  of  Barnardiston.  Newcastle  had  always  con- 
fidently reckoned  upon  the  support  of  eight  Masters  of 
colleges  out  of  the  sixteen;  and  he  was  greatly  alarmed 
to  learn  that  the  Master  of  St  John's  was  wavering  in 
nis  allegiance,  and  that  the  Master  of  Magdalene 
refused  to  return  to  Cambridge  because  his  wife  was 
about  to  have  a  child^.  'You  surprize  me'  wrote  the 
Duke  on  October  30th  'about  Dr  Sandby^;  for  God's 
sake  get  him  to  come.  I  am  sure  if  he  knew  how  the 
enemy  have  used  us  and  what  we  want  of  him,  nothing 
could  keep  him  away*.'  But  in  spite  of  urgent  appeals^, 
Sandby  insisted  on  playing  the  part  of  a  good  husband, 
and  Newcastle  saw  disaster  looming  ahead.  The  situa- 
tion however  was  far  less  serious  than  he  imagined  it 
to  be.  By  a  Grace  of  June  nth,  1580,  Heads  of  Houses 
were  enabled  to  appoint  a  representative  to  vote  at  the 
nomination  of  a  Vice-Chancellor;  and  there  was  there- 
fore no  need  for  the  Master  of  Magdalene  to  lacerate 
his  feelings  by  hurriedly  returning  to  Cambridge.  The 
difficulty  caused  by  the  unexpected  conduct  of  the  Master 
of  St  John's  was  also  successfully  overcome.  The  Bishop 
of  Lincoln  undertook  to  convince  the  Master  of  the  error 
of  his  ways;  and,  though  he  failed  to  induce  him  to 

1  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  6,  f.  84,  f.  86,  f.  98,  f.  loi,  f.  117,  f.  128, 
f.  161,  f.  205. 

2  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  86.  ^  The  Master  of  Magdalene. 
*  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  114.           5  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  86. 


134    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

vote  for  Barnardiston,  he  succeeded  in  persuading  him 
to  retire  from  Cambridge  and  to  appoint  as  his  repre- 
sentative, Dr  Ogden,  who  was  a  supporter  of  Hard- 
wicke^. 

But  the  problem  of  the  Senate  still  remained,  and 
Newcastle  was  very  seriously  alarmed  as  to  what  might 
happen  there.  He  was  urgent  in  calling  upon  those  of 
his  friends,  who  were  members  of  the  Senate,  to  appear 
in  Cambridge  on  the  election  day,  and  he  appealed 
without  ceasing  to  his  supporters  in  the  university  to 
whip  up  as  many  voters  as  they  possibly  could^.  Nor 
did  he  ask  of  others  more  than  he  was  prepared  to  do 
himself. 

'I  immediately  sent'  he  informed  the  Master  of  Jesus  on 
October  30th  'to  some  of  the  great  line  of  our  friends,  the 
doctors  of  law;  Calvert  and  Simpson  will  go  down,  Wynne 
makes  a  difficulty,  but  I  am  sure  Burrel  will  go.  I  have  sent  also 
to  desire  the  Duke  of  Cumberland  to  send  Dr  Biddle  and  the 

Windsor  voters The  Yorkes  must  take  care  of  Soame  Jenyns^, 

Jack  Yorke,  the  Dean  of  Lincoln*,  etc.  You  should  write  to  the 
Bishop  of  Norwich  for  the  Dean,  Charles  Townshend  of  Yar- 
mouth, and  the  Norfolk  or  Norwich  voters.  Henry  Pelham  I 

will  send  to,  and  find  some  channel  to  Dr  Gisborne I  will 

write  to  Dr  Barnard  for  the  Eton  men  but  I  doubt  they  are 
most  against  us.  Dr  Smith,  Master  of  Westminster  school,  has 
no  vote.  Dr  Hinchliffe  has  a  vote.  There  is  an  usher  at  West- 
minster who  voted  with  us.  Pray  send  to  Backhouse  of  Trinity 
to  take  care  of  these  Westminster  people^.' 

Though  Newcastle  was  ably  seconded  in  these  efforts 
by  the  Master  of  Jesus,  the  President  of  Queens',  and 

1  Add.  MS.  32962,  f.  148;  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  205. 

2  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  38,  f.  40,  f.  54,  f.  56,  f.  78,  f.  82,  f.  90, 
f.  138,  f.  140,  f.  142,  f.  144,  f.  150. 

^  Member  for  Cambridgeshire  and  the  son  of  Sir  Roger  Jenyns  of 
Bottisham  Hall  near  Cambridge. 

*  James  Yorke,  a  brother  of  Lord  Hardwicke. 
^  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  114;  see  also  f.  62,  f.  161. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     135 

other  Cambridge  friends^,  he  as  usual  complained  that 
he  was  not  receiving  the  support  he  might  fairly 
demand : 

'  I  am  very  angry  with  you  all '  he  told  Dr  Caryl  on  November 
1st  'that  you  take  no  notice  of  my  letters  nor  ever  acknowledge 
the  receipt  of  them.  I  have  given  myself  much  trouble  to  write 
and  send  to  everybody  that  I  can  think  of;  and  you  will  see  by 
their  answers  that  they  all  go  down,  almost  to  a  man.  What 
have  the  Yorkes  done?  What  has  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  done 
with  his  Dean  and  Norwich  voters .''... Now  is  the  time  for  our 
friends  to  exert.  If  we  lose  our  Vice-Chancellor  all  is  lost^.' 

The  Duke  was  as  usual  very  excited  and  alarmed,  and 
he  apparently  anticipated  that  Sandwich  would  offer 
battle.  This  however  was  only  a  surmise,  for  he  knew 
next  to  nothing  of  his  adversary's  plans.  All  he  knew 
was  that,  about  a  week  after  the  Caput  had  been  elected, 
the  Bishop  of  Chester,  representing  Sandwich,  had  in- 
formed the  Master  of  Christ's  that  they  were  willing 
to  allow  Barnardiston  to  become  Vice-Chancellor  if 
he  would  give  an  undertaking  '  that  if  another  election 
for  a  High  Steward  should  come  on  in  his  Vice- 
Chancellorship,  it  should  not  be  brought  on  by  supprise 
(sk)^.'  On  the  advice  of  his  friends  and  with  Newcastle's 
formal  approval,  the  Master  of  Corpus  at  once  under- 
took not  to  hold  an  election  without  at  least  three  weeks' 
notice*;  but,  encouraged  by  this  concession,  Sandwich 
then  proceeded  further  and  wrecked  the  negotiation  by 
imposing  the  additional  demand  that  the  Caput  should 
agree  'that  if  Lord  Hardwicke  shall  be  rejected  by  the 
majority  of  the  Senate,  they  will  let  my  Grace  pass  their 
body  and  come  to  the  electors  at  large  ^'  It  was  clearly 
impossible  for  the  friends  of  Hardwicke  to  restrict  their 
liberty  of  action  in  this  fashion,  and  the  Master  of  Jesus 

1  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  62,  f.  86.        2  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  173. 
3  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  8,  f.  156.        4  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  8,  f.  29. 
5  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  88. 


136    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

voiced  the  sentiments  of  the  party  when  he  said  *we 
have  now  nothing  left  but  to  fight  as  good  a  battle  as 
we  can^.' 

Newcastle  may  therefore  be  forgiven  for  believing 
that  a  contest  was  inevitable,  for  certainly  all  the  signs 
pointed  in  that  direction;  and  yet  it  is  possible  that 
Sandwich  and  his  followers  were  only  playing  a  game 
of  bluff  and  never  intended  to  oppose  Barnardiston's 
election.  They  probably  realised  the  difficulty  of  per- 
suading the  moderate  members  of  the  party  to  concur 
*in  so  extravagant  a  measure  as  that  of  setting  aside 
the  senior 2';  and  although  they  may  have  vaguely 
contemplated  the  idea  of  securing  the  Vice-Chancellor- 
ship for  the  Master  of  Caius,  they  do  not  appear  to 
have  taken  any  steps  towards  the  execution  of  the 
design,  and  finally  to  have  abandoned  it.  On  Saturday 
November  3rd  the  Heads  unanimously  nominated  the 
Masters  of  Corpus  and  Caius,  and  on  the  following  day 
the  former  was  unanimously  elected  Vice-Chancellor^. 

Newcastle  had  good  reason  to  rejoice.  By  securing  a 
reliable  Caput  and  a  trustworthy  Vice-Chancellor  he 
had  safeguarded  himself  against  having  to  fight  at  a 
disadvantage  in  the  event  of  a  second  election.  He  could 
not  have  done  more;  and  the  value  he  placed  upon  his 
achievement  is  best  attested  by  his  intentions  in  the 
event  of  failure. 

'I  believe'  he  told  Dr  Caryl  'I  am  not  thought  one  who 
would  rashly  do  an  improper  or  indiscreet  thing;  but,  if  they 
had  carried  it  for  Dr  Smith,  I  had  taken  my  resolution,  I  would 
have  come  to  Cambridge,  acted  myself  as  Chancellor,  have  re- 

1  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  60.  2  Add_  MS.  32963,  f.  223. 

^  Ibid.  The  Master  of  Emmanuel  did  not  appear  on  the  nomination 
day,  having  taken  to  his  bed  on  the  plea  of  illness.  It  is  possible  that  he 
was  upset  by  receiving  from  Charles  Yorke  'a  thundering  letter  with 
so  much  civility  but  yet  urged  with  so  much  force,  as  must  be  enough 
to  stun  if  it  were  not  able  to  satisfy  him.'  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  227. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     137 

mained  in  the  university  as  long  as  necessary,  and  have  declared 
in  Senate  to  Dr  Smith  that  he  had  no  power  or  authority  nor 
had  anything  to  do  during  my  residence  in  the  university.  And 
I  am  not  at  all  unwilling  that  it  should  be  known  that  this  was 
my  intention^' 

It  was  fortunately  unnecessary  for  him  to  adopt  such 
drastic  measures;  and,  freed  from  all  anxiety  with  regard 
to  the  immediate  future  at  Cambridge,  he  was  able  to 
watch  with  comparative  calm  the  slow  and  stately 
progress  of  the  law-suit.  Lord  Sandwich  had  been 
given  until  the  Michaelmas  term  tu  show  cause  why 
the  writs  of  mandamus  should  not  be  granted;  and  on 
November  1 6th  his  counsel  submitted  seven  affidavits. 
These  documents  endeavoured  to  show  that  Pitt  had 
been  duly  qualified  to  vote  in  the  regents'  house,  that 
six  regents  had  voted  for  the  Grace  in  the  non-regents' 
house,  and  that  'no  second  scrutiny  ought  to  be  made 
when  the  votes  are  equal,  nor  the  validity  of  any  vote 
examined  afterwards^';  but  it  does  not  appear  that  Lord 
Hardwicke's  friends  were  at  all  alarmed.  Indeed  they 
were  much  relieved  to  find  that  Sandwich  was  unable 
to  put  up  a  better  case,  and,  feeling  confident  of  the 
issue,  ceased  to  take  much  interest  in  the  legal  pro- 
ceedings. Their  optimism  was  justified,  for  in  April  1765 
the  court  gavejudgment  in  Lord  Hardwicke's  favour. 

'I  have  great  pleasure  in  acquainting  your  Grace'  wrote  Dr 
Caryl  to  Newcastle  on  May  7th,  1765,  'that  all  our  trouble 
about  the  office  of  High  Steward  is  now  at  an  end.  The  man- 
damus was  obeyed  without  any  hesitation;  my  Lord  Hardwicke's 
patent  is  sealed;  and  the  bells  are  now  ringing  merrily  to  close 
the  whole ^.' 

1  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  251.  Dr  Caryl  kept  the  Duke's  intentions  to 
himself.    Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  312. 

^  Add.    MS.    32964,    f.  i;    see    also    Add.    MS.    32963,    f.  356, 

f-  397- 

^  Add.  MS.  32966,  f.  343;  see  also  f.  273  and  Gray's  Letters 
(edited  by  D.  C.  Tovey),  in,  69-72. 


138    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

Thus  after  many  months  and  much  labour  Hardwicke 
succeeded  his  father  as  High  Steward  of  the  university, 
and  Newcastle  could  congratulate  himself  upon  having 
victoriously  repelled  the  assault  of  the  enemy.  Never 
before  had  he  been  compelled  to  fight  so  fiercely  for 
his  predominance  in  the  university;  and,  inasmuch  as 
he  had  prevailed  and  routed  the  forces  which  had  over- 
thrown him  in  parliament,  his  success  was  doubly  sweet. 
He  enjoyed  the  satisfaction  of  having  soundly  beaten 
a  redoubtable  antagonist,  and  the  furious  and  prolonged 
character  of  the  struggle  added  prestige  to  the  victory. 
Sandwich  indeed  was  too  decisively  defeated  not  to  be 
compelled  to  admit  it;  and  in  1767  he  referred  in  a 
letter  to  the  Duke  to  'that  unlucky  contest  in  the  uni- 
versity which  I  was  so  silly  as  to  be  drawn  into^.'  Yet 
Newcastle's  triumph  was  not  complete  and  not  un- 
attended with  disappointment.  He  had  induced  himself 
to  believe  that  success  at  Cambridge  would  react  favour- 
ably upon  the  fortunes  of  the  parliamentary  opposition; 
and  truly,  unless  he  so  believed,  he  was  hardly  justified 
in  raising  an  academic  dispute  to  the  dignity  of  a  great 
political  issue.  Yet  there  was  no  such  favourable  re- 
action; and  the  decline  in  the  strength  of  the  opposition 
was  in  no  way  stayed  by  Sandwich's  defeat  at  Cam- 
bridge. Newcastle  moreover  must  have  been  deeply 
mortified  to  find  that  both  Hardwicke  and  Charles 
Yorke  failed  to  recognise  that  they  were  under  any 
obligation  to  him.  From  the  very  outset  Hardwicke  had 
behaved  with  studied  indifference,  allowing  others  to 
work  for  him  and  taking  their  services  for  granted;  but 
he  was  at  least  consistent  and  never  evinced  any  interest 
in  the  proceedings.  Charles  Yorke  behaved  in  a  still 
more  despicable  fashion.  Being  extremely  anxious  for 
his  brother  to  become  High  Steward,  he  had  encouraged 
the  Duke  to  be  unsparing  in  effort;  and  as  in  November 
1  Add.  MS.  32982,  f.  435. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     139 

1763  he  had  resigned  the  office,  of  Attorney-General 
and  thrown  in  his  lot  with  the  opposition  party,  he  was 
favourably  situated  to  demand  a  service  of  Newcastle. 
Yet  in  December  1764,  when  the  Duke  had  accom- 
plished his  work  at  Cambridge  and  it  could  be  taken 
for  granted  that  Hardwicke  would  be  declared  High 
Steward,  Charles  Yorke  deserted  the  opposition  and 
came  to  terms  with  the  court  and  ministry,  and  his 
desertion  must  have  considerably  detracted  from  New- 
castle's pleasure  in  his  victory  over  Sandwich.  The 
personal  triumph  remained;  but  it  was  difficult  after 
the  desertion  of  Charles  Yorke  to  pretend  that  it  was 
a  triumph  of  the  opposition  over  the  government. 

Thus  what  seemed  about  to  be  the  crowning  glory 
of  Newcastle's  career  as  Chancellor  turned  to  some- 
thing like  dust  and  ashes;  and  at  times  he  must  have 
reflected  that  it  was  hardly  worth  while  to  have  taken 
so  much  trouble  for  so  little  result.  He  was  however 
to  be  avenged,  though  not  until  after  his  death.  Though 
apparently  so  indifferent  to  the  honour  conferred  upon 
him,  Hardwicke  was  not  unwilling  to  hold  office  in  the 
university  as  long  as  he  was  not  expected  to  take  any 
trouble;  and  there  is  reason  to  think  that  he  was  glad 
enough  to  be  High  Steward  and  regarded  himself  as 
the  natural  successor  to  Newcastle  in  the  Chancellor- 
ship. He  characteristically  however  was  not  prepared 
to  exert  himself  in  paving  the  way  to  the  accession  to 
the  higher  dignity;  and  apparently  lightly  assumed  that 
the  greater  prize  would  come  to  him  in  the  natural 
order  of  things,  and  that  therefore  it  was  quite  un- 
necessary for  him  to  display  the  slightest  interest  in 
the  affairs  of  the  university.  And  by  a  curious  irony  of 
circumstance  the  place  which  he  coveted,  and  to  gain 
which  he  had  taken  the  High  Stewardship,  was  to  be 
wrested  from  him  by  the  Duke  of  Grafton  who  had 
been  one  of  his  supporters  in  the  previous  contest.  In 


140    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

July  1766  Grafton  had  severed  his  connection  with 
the  opposition  and  taken  office  as  First  Lord  of  the 
Treasury;  and  when  in  January  1767  he  re-entered  his 
name  on  the  books  of  his  old  college,  Peterhouse^,  it 
was  probably  with  a  view  of  standing  for  the  Chancellor- 
ship in  the  event  of  Newcastle's  death. 

'  I  suspect  my  old  friend,  the  Bishop  of  Chester,  to  be  at  the 
bottom  of  this  affair,'  remarked  Newcastle  to  the  Master  of 
Jesus,  'though  no  one  was  more  offended  at  his  Lordship's  con- 
duct, in  deserting  us  as  he  did,  than  the  Duke  of  Grafton  was  at 
that  time.  But,  dear  Caryl,  almost  everybody  changes  but  you 
and  IV 

The  Duke  however  could  hardly  be  expected  to  take 
much  interest  in  a  struggle  which  would  not  begin  until 
he  was  on  his  deathbed,  and  though  he  certainly  did 
not  desire  the  court  to  control  the  university  through 
Grafton,  he  never  indicated  that  he  wished  Hardwicke 
to  be  his  successor.  He  probably  realised  that  his  pre- 
ferences and  wishes  would  carry  little  weight  when  he 
was  in  the  grave,  and  that  it  was  not  for  him  to  regulate 
a  future  he  would  not  see.  He  had  only  to  give  the 
signal  for  operations  to  begin,  and  this  duty  he  fulfilled. 
When  he  fell  seriously  ill  about  the  end  of  the  year 
1767,  academic  politicians  at  once  began  to  stir.  The 
question  whether  Hardwicke  or  Grafton  should  be  his 
successor  was  eagerly  discussed  in  the  university;  and 
the  President  of  Queens'  was  informed  by  a  friend  that 
Grafton  'means  to  offer  himself  as  a  candidate  for  the 
Chancellorship  whenever  it  becomes  vacant,  and  that 

^  Add.  MS.  32979.  It  seems  fairly  dear  that  Grafton  could  not  have 
replaced  his  name  on  the  college  books  with  a  view  of  obtaining  a  vote 
in  the  Senate,  as  a  Grace,  passed  in  January,  1766,  provided  that  no 
re-admitted  person  was  entitled  to  vote,  'unless  he  shall  be  chosen  into 
an  academical  office  or  a  professorship  or  into  the  foundation  of  some 
college  or  shall  reside  here  three  terms.'  Add.  MS.  32973,  f.  271. 
See  also  Add.  MS.  35628,  f.  53. 

2  Add.  MS.  32980,  f.  42. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     141 

he  seems  to  be  preparing  for  it^.'  The  President  also 
drew  his  own  conclusions  from  the  butler  of  his  college 
having  received  from  a  Fellow  of  Peterhouse  'a  paper 
containing  a  list  of  names  of  several  of  the  absent 
members  of  this  college,  to  which  he  was  desired  to 
affix  their  respective  addresses^.  It  was  also  significant 
that  during  the  Christmas  vacation  the  Vice-Chancellor, 
who  was  Marriott  of  Trinity  Hall,  'sent  to  the  butler 
of  Benet  for  a  list  of  all  the  members  of  the  Senate  who 
had  their  names  upon  the  boards  in  that  college^';  and 
it  is  possible  that  he  made  similar  enquiries  at  other 
colleges.  Though  there  is  no  definite  proof  that  the 
Vice-Chancellor  and  the  Fellows  of  Peterhouse  were 
actmg  on  Grafton's  behalf,  it  is  at  least  quite  likely 
that  they  were;  and  Hardwicke  was  advised  by  a  friend 
that  Grafton  was  stirring. 

It  will  hardly  be  a  matter  of  surprise  to  your  Lordship  to  hear 
that  many  of  those,  who  gave  your  Lordship  so  much  trouble 
about  the  High  Stewardship,  are  disposed  to  support  this  interest. 
And  I  am  sorry  to  add  I  am  not  without  some  fears  that  some 
of  those,  who  were  your  Lordship's  friends  upon  that  occasion, 
will  show  themselves  in  different  colours  on  any  others.  Indeed, 
my  Lord,  to  speak  the  plain  truth,  there  is  a  general  complaint 
of  your  Lordship's  shyness  and  inattention  to  the  interests  of 
those  who  distinguished  themselves  in  support  of  your  Lord- 
ship's interest  on  that  occasion,  a  circumstance  which  I  must 
entirely  rely  upon  your  Lordship's  candour  and  good  undsr- 
standing  to  pardon  me  for  mentioning.  But  I  cannot  discharge 
my  duty  without  it.  Whether  your  Lordship  means  to  do  us  the 
honour  offering  (sic)  yourself  a  candidate  for  the  Chancellor- 
ship or  not  in  case  of  a  vacancy,  it  would  ill  become  me  to  pre- 
sume to  judge;  but,  as  I  have  your  Lordship's  interest  really 
much  at  heart,  I  cannot  but  in  the  most  earnest  manner  recom- 
mend it  to  your  Lordship,  in  case  you  ha^/e  any  such  design,  to 
make  yourself  more  known  to  your  friends  in  the  university, 
and  by  a  proper  application  to  them  to  secure  them  in  time*.' 

1  Add.  MS.  35628,  f.  71.  2  Add.  MS.  35628,  f.  70. 

3  Add.  MS.  35628,  f.  71.  4  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  292. 


142    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

This  was  very  plain  speaking,  and  as  Newcastle 
rallied  and  survived  until  November  1768,  the  High 
Steward  could  not  complain  that  he  had  not  received 
timely  warning.  There  is  no  evidence  however  that  he 
took  any  action  beyond  informing  the  President  of 
Queens'  that,  in  the  question  of  his  conduct  when  the 
Chancellorship  fell  vacant,  he  must  be  guided  by  the 
advice  of  his  friends  at  Cambridge.  As  it  was  hardly 
possible  to  ask  men  to  support  a  candidature  which 
might  never  materialise,  nothing  was  done  to  urge  his 
claims,  though  probably  the  supporters  of  Grafton  were 
not  idle.  Thus  the  months  passed  away  until  the  death 
of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  which  took  place  in  the  early 
hours  of  Thursday  November  17th.  The  news  was 
received  in  Cambridge  by  noon  on  the  same  day;  and 
without  loss  of  time  the  Vice-Chancellor,  who  was 
Dr  Hinchliffe,  Master  of  Trinity,  summoned  a  meeting 
of  Heads  of  Houses  for  the  following  morning^.  At  this 
meeting  the  Vice-Chancellor  read  a  letter  from  the  Duke 
of  Grafton,  announcing  that  if  he  could  be  elected 
Chancellor  without  a  canvass  of  the  university  he 
would  be  much  honoured;  and,  after  this  letter  had  been 
read,  the  President  of  Queens'  communicated  to  the 
meeting  'Lord  Hardwicke's  sentiments  on  the  same 
subject^.'  We  unfortunately  do  not  know  the  exact 
nature  of  the  President's  communication,  but  it  is 
probable  that  he  made  it  understood  that  Hardwicke 
was  contemplating  standing  for  election,  without  how- 
ever having  definitely  decided  to  do  so^.  As  it  was 
therefore  possible  that  the  Senate  might  have  to  choose 
between  two  candidates,  it  was  decided  to  hold  the 
election  on  Tuesday  November  29th,  though  the  Vice- 

1  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  307.  2  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  299. 

^  In  a  letter  to  Charles  Yorke,  Rutherforth  uses  the  phrase  'that  as 
Lord  Hardwicke  had  thought  proper  to  declare  his  readiness  to  accept 
of  the  Chancellorship.'  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  303. 


THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS     143 

Chancellor  had  originally  suggested  Monday  November 
2 1  St  as  a  suitable  and  convenient  date. 

It  was  now  the  business  of  Lord  Hardwicke's  advisers 
at  Cambridge  to  form  an  estimate  of  the  support  that 
their  candidate  was  likely  to  receive;  and  the  President 
of  Queens'  and  Professor  Rutherforth  undertook  the 
task  of  conducting  a  discreet  enquiry.  The  information 
they  collected  was  decidedly  discouraging.  They  dis- 
covered that  Dr  Powell,  now  become  Master  of  St 
John's,  who  had  so  strenuously  assisted  Hardwicke 
against  Lord  Sandwich,  was  in  favour  of  Grafton  and 
could  count  upon  the  support  of  the  majority  of  his 
Fellows,  that  Trinity,  led  by  its  Master,  was  over- 
whelmingly on  the  same  side,  that  the  Master  and 
Fellows  of  Peterhouse  were  united  'in  support  of  the 
Duke  of  Grafton  as  a  college  cause,'  that  both  in 
Christ's  and  King's  Grafton  was  certain  of  a  considerable 
following,  and  that  even  Dr  Caryl  of  Jesus,  though 
prepared  to  vote  for  Hardwicke,  declined  to  canvass 
*his  Fellows  as  he  did  in  the  case  of  the  High  Steward- 
ship, for  he  then  laid  himself  open  to  such  claims  from 
them  as  he  has  found  very  inconvenient,  and  as  he  never 
has  been  able  to  answer^.'  It  was  roughly  calculated 
that  about  two  hundred  and  forty  persons  would  vote, 
and  that  of  these  Hardwicke  could  not  possibly  count 
upon  more  than  eighty^.  In  these  circumstances  it  would 
be  both  useless  and  ridiculous  for  him  to  come  forward 
as  a  candidate;  and  when  the  President  of  Queens',  the 
Masters  of  Corpus,  Jesus,  and  Emmanuel,  and  Professor 
Rutherforth  met  in  conference  on  Tuesday  November 
22nd,  they  had  little  difficulty  in  deciding  the  character 
of  the  communication  they  should  address  to  Hardwicke. 

'Upon  consideration  of  the  state  of  the  university,  after  the 
best  inquiry  that  can   be  made  in   the  several   colleges,'   they 
stated,  'and  reflecting  on  the  disadvantages  of  entering  so  late 
1  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  303.  2  /^;V, 


144    THE  UNIVERSITY  AND  POLITICIANS 

into  an  opposition,  we  are  of  opinion  that  there  is  no  reasonable 
expectation  of  making  a  respectable  minority  in  favour  of  Lord 
Hardwicke,  and  therefore,  for  the  honour  of  his  Lordship  and 
to  avoid  inconvenience  and  distress  to  the  members  of  the 
university,  we  think  it  best  that  his  Lordship's  name  should  not 
be  made  any  farther  use  of  on  this  occasion^.' 

Acting  upon  this  very  sound  advice  Hardwicke 
decided  not  to  stand  for  election;  and  on  Tuesday 
November  29th  the  Duke  of  Grafton  was  unanimously 
chosen  Chancellor.  It  was  well  that  the  university  was 
spared  another  contest,  for  it  had  already  suffered  enough 
from  the  strife  of  politicians.  Twice  in  twenty  years 
Cambridge  had  been  the  scene  of  a  fierce  party  struggle; 
and  on  both  occasions  victory  had  rested  with  New- 
castle. In  the  closing  years  of  his  life,  when  he  was 
commonly  regarded  as  an  impotent  old  dotard,  he  had 
the  happiness  of  finding  that  at  least  he  could  prevail 
in  Cambridge,  and  that  there,  if  only  there,  he  could 
repel  the  attack  of  the  tories  and  renegade  whigs  who 
elsewhere  had  completely  triumphed  over  him.  As  he 
closed  his  eyes  in  death  upon  the  wreck  of  his  former 
greatness,  it  is  possible  that  he  thought  with  peculiar 
affection  of  the  university  where  he  had  remained  a 
power  until  the  end. 

1  Add.  MS.  35628,  f.  78;  see  also,  f.  76. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

WHATEVER  measure  of  success  Newcastle 
achieved  in  life  was  owing  almost  exclusively 
to  his  amazing  industry.  This  is  the  secret  of  the  rise 
of  a  mediocrity  to  political  greatness.  With  no  serious 
inte/est  in  life  except  work,  he  found  his  only  happiness 
in  the  transaction  of  business,  and  outstripped  far  abler 
men  in  the  race  for  power  by  modelling  himself  upon 
the  tortoise  and  leaving  them  to  imitate  the  hare.  In- 
stinctively and  almost  unconsciously  he  extended  the 
sphere  and  increased  the  importance  of  every  office  he 
filled;  and  as  a  cabinet  minister  his  tendency  was  to 
reduce  his  colleagues  to  cyphers  by  retaining  in  his 
own  hands  much  more  business  than  he  could  efficiently 
manage.  He  was  certainly  ambitious  and  loved  power; 
but  it  is  doubtful  whether  that  infirmity  of  noble  mind 
was  the  dominant  trait  in  his  character.  It  is  possible 
that  he  loved  the  means  by  which  power  is  attained  more 
than  the  power  itself,  that  the  race  not  the  goal  was  the 
attraction,  and  that,  before  it  was  preached,  he  practised 
the  maxim  that  'to  travel  hopefully  is  a  better  thing 
than  to  arrive,  and  the  true  success  is  to  labour.'  Had 
he  been  solely  actuated  by  ambition  he  would  probably 
have  displayed  a  m.ore  discriminating  industry  and  more 
deftly  proportioned  his  zeal  to  the  importance  of  the 
task;  but,  loving  labour  for  its  own  sake,  he  obeyed  with 
slavish  fidelity  the  command  to  do  with  your  might  all 
that  your  hand  finds  to  do,  and  often  spent  his  energy 
upon  trifles  at  the  expense  of  more  weighty  and  urgent 


146    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

matters.  No  blame  could  have  attached  to  him  if  he 
had  elected  to  treat  the  office  of  Chancellor  as  a  sinecure, 
for  it  was  as  such  that  his  immediate  predecessors  had 
regarded  it,  and  a  hard-worked  statesman  could  hardly 
be  expected  to  immerse  himself  in  academic  affairs.  But 
he  had  no  inclination  to  avail  himself  of  an  excuse  at 
which  nine  persons  out  often  in  his  position  would  have 
eagerly  snatched.  He  desired  to  keep  in  the  closest 
possible  touch  with  the  university,  to  know  and  in- 
fluence all  that  happened  there;  and  to  attain  this  end 
he  was  willing  to  endure  an  almost  intolerable  burden 
of  drudgery.  It  is  true  that  his  activity  was  not  dis- 
interested, and  that  he  hoped  to  increase  his  political 
influence  by  converting  Cambridge  into  a  stronghold 
of  that  section  of  the  whig  party  which  he  controlled; 
but  the  trouble  he  took  was  out  of  all  proportion  to  the 
gain;  and,  even  if  the  gain  had  been  less,  it  is  unlikely 
that  he  would  have  been  appreciably  less  active. 

As  an  absentee  however  he  was  not  favourably 
situated  to  establish  a  dominant  influence  in  the  uni- 
versity, and  as  a  servant  of  the  crown  he  could  only 
devote  a  portion  of  his  time  to  academic  business.  It 
was  consequently  necessary  for  him  to  depend  to  a 
certain  extent  upon  subordinates,  of  whom  not  the  least 
important  was  Doctor  Samuel  Squire.  A  nephew  of  the 
wife  of  Dr  Newcome,  Master  of  St  John's,  of  which 
college  he  was  for  some  years  a  Fellow,  Squire  in  1748 
became  the  Duke's  chaplain  and  his  secretary  for  the 
business  of  the  university.  It  was  his  duty  as  secretary 
to  keep  Newcastle  informed  of  any  academic  events  of 
importance,  to  deal  with  the  large  Cambridge  corre- 
spondence, and  on  occasions  to  serve  as  the  medium  of 
communication  between  the  Chancellor  and  the  uni- 
versity. On  his  promotion  to  the  Bench  in  1761  as 
Bishop  of  St  David's,  he  was  succeeded  in  the  office 
of  the   Chancellor's   university   secretary   by   William 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    147 

Talbot,  Fellow  of  Clare  1.  As  Talbot  continued  to 
reside  in  Cambridge  the  management  of  the  Duke's 
Cambridge  correspondence  passed  into  other  hands; 
but  the  new  secretary  was  clearly  more  favourably 
situated  than  Squire  for  acting  as  a  conveyer  of  news 
and  a  medium  of  communication. 

In  addition  to  the  Chancellor's  secretary,  who  occu- 
pied an  official  and  recognised  position,  Newcastle  had 
always  a  few  trusted  agents  at  Cambridge  whose  busi- 
ness it  was  to  let  him  know  when  anything  was  stirring, 
and  on  the  occasion  of  controversy  or  dispute  to 
organise  a  party  in  support  of  his  wishes.  Such  were  the 
functions  fulfilled  at  different  times  by  Dr  Keene, 
Master  of  Peterhouse,  Dr  Green,  Master  of  Corpus, 
Dr  Yonge,  Master  of  Jesus,  and  his  successor  in  the 
mastership,  Dr  Caryl.  It  was  clearly  expedient  to  em- 
ploy upon  such  work  Heads  of  Houses  who  by  virtue 
of  their  position  possessed  considerable  influence  in  the 
university;  and  it  is  to  be  noticed  that  Yonge  continued 
to  be  so  employed  even  after  he  had  become  a  bishop 
and  resigned  his  mastership.  Without  such  assistance 
Newcastle  could  have  exercised  but  a  faint  control  over 
university  affairs.  Having  no  official  relations  with  him 
they  served  to  cloak  his  interference;  and  appeared  to 
be  following  their  own  inclinations  while  acting  in  ac- 
cordance with  his  secret  instructions.  They  were  of 
course  well  known  to  enjoy  the  Chancellor's  confidence, 
but  the  extent  of  that  confidence  could  only  be  guessed; 
and  they  seem  to  have  been  scrupulously  careful,  unless 
a  contrary  policy  was  either  advisable  or  inevitable,  to 
refrain  from  committing  the  Duke.  The  task  was  such 

^  In  a  letter,  dated  May  25th,  1761,  Talbot  mentions  that  'a  letter 
from  My  Lord  Bishop  of  Bristol  acquaints  me  that  your  Grace  had 
done  me  the  high  honour  of  appointing  me  your  Grace's  secretary 
for  the  business  of  the  university  in  the  room  of  Dr  Squire,  now  Bishop 
of  St  David's.'  Add.  MS.  32923,  f.  255. 


148    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

as  could  only  be  performed  by  trusted  friends;  and 
Newcastle  was  no  easy  task-master.  On  one  occasion 
Dr  Yonge,  after  he  had  become  Bishop  of  Norwich,  fell 
below  the  exacting  standard  demanded;  and  received  a 
letter  from  the  Duke  which  can  only  be  described  as 
terrific: 

'I  never  was  so  much  surprised  or  indeed  offended'  wrote 
Newcastle  'with  any  letter  that  I  have  ever  received  as  with 
that  which  I  have  received  from  your  Lordship  this  night. 
Everyone  which  I  have  had  from  you  this  summer  has  been 
full  of  reproaches  to  me.  The  present  Bishop  of  Norwich 
reproach  me  with  leaving  his  diocese  to  obey  me.  Had  he  not 
common  charity  or  christian  compassion  to  come  to  his  bene- 
factors when  they  had  been  and  were  under  such  distress  and 
affliction  as  we  were  this  whole  summer.  Reproach  me  with 
being  some  hours  at  my  house  upon  business  by  no  means  agree- 
able to  him.  What  business?  The  support  of  that  cause  and  that 
fortune,  the  which  he  would  have  had  no  Clapham  to  go  to,  and 
might  have  been  a  junior  Fellow  of  Trinity  college  to  this 
hour.  The  present  Bishop  of  Norwich  to  reproach  me  for  having 
put  off  an  engagement  to  come  to  dine  with  me.  I  shall  give 
your  Lordship  no  further  trouble  I  can  assure  you.  You  may 
remain  at  your  diocese  at  Clapham  and  I  will  never  call  you 
from  thence.  One  favour  I  have  to  ask  of  your  Lordship,  and 
that  is  that  you  would  shew  our  correspondence  of  this  summer 
to  every  bishop  upon  the  Bench,  and  I  will  venture  to  say  that, 
except  the  Bishops  of  Chester  and  St  David's,  there  will  not  be 
a  single  bishop  who  will  approve  the  ungrateful  part  you  have 
acted  towards  me,  and  those,  who  put  you  upon  it,  do  not  consult 
your  character  and  reputation^.' 

Yet,  however  perfect  the  organisation,  it  was  im- 
perative for  the  success  of  Newcastle's  plans  that  he 
should  be  personally  known  to  as  many  members  of  the 
university  as  possible.  Though  in  the  sphere  of  private 
life  affection   may   be   stimulated   by  absence,   public 

1  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  125.  Keene  was  Bishop  of  Chester  and  Squire 
was  Bishop  of  St  David's.  When  this  letter  was  written  both  these 
divines  had  ceased  to  be  supporters  of  Newcastle. 


PLATE   III 


IMilJJ  1'    \  US^l: 

MASTKR   OF  JESUS   C  ()  L  1. 1;  ('■  E,   C  A  M  I',  R  I  D  (U;    (tj^^-^S) 

lUSHOP   OF   15RISTOL       (17,5.^-61) 

I'.ISHOl'   OF    NORWICH    (17*. 1    S^) 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    149 

characters  are  apt  to  be  out  of  mind  when  out  of  sight; 
and  a  Chancellor,  who  was  only  known  by  name  to  the 
university,  would  never  find  a  party  ready  to  his  call. 
Hence  the  frequency  of  Newcastle's  visits  to  Cambridge. 
Few  Chancellors  have  been  so  conscientious  or  so 
thorough  in  the  discharge  of  this  part  of  their  duties. 
Whenever  he  was  at  Cambridge  which,  considering  his 
other  engagements,  was  not  seldom,  he  was  careful  to 
see  as  many  people  as  possible,  and  consequently  was 
far  better  known  than  most  of  his  predecessors.  To  the 
undiscerning  he  might  appear  to  be  wasting  his  time 
upon  social  trivialities,  and  the  poet.  Gray,  was  loudly 
contemptuous  of  the  'fizzling  Duke';  but  Newcastle  was 
wise  in  his  generation  and  knew  the  value  of  aristocratic 
condescension. 

It  is  indeed  probable  that  he  would  have  visited  the 
university  even  more  frequently  if  he  had  not  been  so 
much  engaged  with  affairs  of  state  and  so  often  in 
attendance  upon  the  King  in  Hanover.  Thus  he  was 
obliged  to  postpone  his  first  appearance  in  Cambridge 
after  his  installation  until  June  1753  when  he  visited 
the  university  to  admit  Lord  Hardwicke  to  the  degree 
of  doctor  of  laws.  A  present  day  Chancellor,  when 
called  upon  to  perform  some  such  duty,  generally  only 
spends  a  few  hours  among  his  academic  subjects,  and 
seldom  exchanges  a  word  with  more  than  a  handful  of 
them;  but  that  was  not  the  Duke's  way.  His  stay  ex- 
tended over  four  days,  and  in  addition  to  officiating  as 
Chancellor  in  the  Senate  house,  he  held  a  levee  at 
Clare,  presided  over  a  meeting  of  Heads  and  Tutors 
which  had  been  called  'to  consider  how  to  remedy  the 
mischiefs  arising  from  peddling  Tews  dealing  with 
scholars,  and  the  inconvenience  of  the  long  non-residence 
of  scholars,  particularly  in  the  long  vacation,'  dined 
or  supped  with  six  Heads  of  Houses,  and  dined  on 
Trinity  Sunday,  which  fell  within  his  stay,  in  the  hall 


150    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

of  Trinity  college^.  Between  1753  and  1768  he  seems 
to  have  visited  the  university  six  times  in  all,  and 
though  on  one  occasion  he  did  not  stay  more  than  a 
night,  he  usually  remained  at  least  three  or  four  days 
and  kept  high  festival  the  whole  time. 

*  Everything  has  passed  here,  since  my  coming  down,  extreamly 
well,'  he  wrote  to  Lord  Hardwicke  from  Cambridge  in  July 
1 761,  'the  performances  of  the  young  men  yesterday  were  ex- 
treamly good  and  gave  great  satisfaction,  particularly  your  friend, 
Mr  Flitcroft's  son  of  Benet.  We  had  last  night  a  very  fine  enter- 
tainment at  the  new  Master's  of  Queens'.  We  have  constantly 
drunk  your  Lordship's  health  twice  a  day,  as  I  told  you  we 
would^.' 

Indeed,  so  anxious  were  the  members  of  the  university 
to  give  their  Chancellor  a  rousing  welcome,  and  so 
anxious  was  the  Chancellor  to  accept  their  hospitality, 
that  it  was  perhaps  as  well  for  all  parties  that  these  visits 
were  not  more  frequent. 

'I  had  the  favour  of  your  letter'  wrote  Newcastle  to  the 
Master  of  Corpus  in  June  1760  'and  hope  to  have  the  pleasure 
of  taking  a  slight  supper  with  you  at  your  Lodge  on  Saturday 
evening.  I  dine  at  Therfield^,  so  can't  say  exactly  what  time  I 
shall  come  to  Clare  Hall,  but  I  hope  by  eight  o'clock.  The 
Vice-Chancellor  has  wrote  to  me  very  obligingly  to  sup  with 
him  that  night,  but  I  have  excused  myself,  having  been  engaged 
to  you.  I  think  you  would  do  well  to  ask  him  to  your  Lodge. 
I  can't  possibly  wait  upon  Dr  Beridge  and  I  beg  you  would  make 
my  excuse.  My  engagements  are  Master  of  Benet,  Saturday 
supper,  Vice-Chancellor,  Commencement  Sunday  dinner, 
Alaster  of  Jesus,  supper  that  night.  Provost  of  King's,  Monday 
dinner.  Master  of  Christ's,  supper  that  night.  Trinity  college, 
dinner  Commencement  Tuesday,  Clare  Hall,  supper  that  night; 
and  on  Wednesday  morning  I  propose  to  return  to  London"*.' 

It  was  customary  on  the  occasion  of  these  dinners  and 

1  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  69,  f.  70. 

2  Add.  MS.  32924,  f.  441.  Henry  Flitcroft  was  admitted  to  Corpus 
in  1759  "^^^  ^°'^^  ^^^  M.A.  in  1763. 

2  Therfield  is  near  Royston.  "*  Add.  MS.  32907,  f.  351. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    151 

suppers  to  invite  a  large  number  of  guests^,  and  con- 
sequently the  Duke  had  ample  opportunities  of  en- 
larging the  circle  of  his  acquaintances.  The  strain  was 
doubtless  severe  but  he  had  to  endure  it.  It  was  neces- 
sary for  him  to  court  the  university  as  a  parliamentary 
candidate  courts  a  constituency,  to  be  accessible  to  all, 
and  to  win  friends  by  kindly  words  and  genial  attentions. 
He  certainly  cannot  be  accused  of  having  acted  on  the 
assumption  that  the  members  of  the  university,  like 
parsnips,  could  not  be  buttered  with  fine  words;  for  he 
was  prodigal  of  his  blandishments.  After  dining  on  one 
occasion  in  the  hall  of  Trinity  he  despatched  an  en- 
thusiastic letter  to  the  Master  who  had  unavoidably 
been  absent. 

'I  am  too  sensible'  he  wrote  'of  the  honour  that  was  done 
me  at  Trinity  college,  and  of  the  very  agreeable  entertainment 
which  I  had  there  on  the  Commencement  Tuesday,  not  to  take 
the  first  opportunity  of  acquainting  you  with  it,  and  returning 
you  my  most  sincere  thanks  for  it.  The  very  great  improvements 
that  are  made  to  the  buildings  and  the  revenues  of  the  finest 
college  in  England,  owing  entirely  to  your  care,  ability  and 
attention  to  the  real  advantage  of  that  great  society,  and  the 
flourishing  condition  of  it  owing  also  to  the  good  order  and 
discipline  established  there  by  you,  give  me,  who  have  so  much 
the  honour  and  reputation  of  our  university  at  heart,  the  greatest 
satisfaction,  and  require  from  me  the  best  return  which  I  can 
make  to  shew  my  gratitude  for  it  and  sense  of  it.  Independently 
of  my  attachment  to  the  university  I  have  always  had  a 
particular  affection  for  Trinity  college,  and  as  Chancellor  I  am 
now  truly  proud  of  it  in  every  respect.  I  hope  you  will  forgive 
my  taking  this  liberty  which  proceeds  entirely  from  what  I 
thought  but  justice  to  say  to  you  upon  the  subject.  I  have 
acquainted  the  King  with  it  as  well  as  with  the  dutiful  and 
loyal  behaviour  of  the  university  upon  all  occasions^.' 

1  When  Newcastle  supped  with  the  Master  of  Christ's  the  company 
numbered  twenty  in  all,  and  when  he  dined  with  the  Provost  of  King's, 
nearly  thirty  persons  were  present.  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  145. 

2  Add.  MS.  32908,  f.  104.  For  the  details  of  the  Chancellor's  visits 


152    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

Newcastle  probably  wrote  many  such  letters  after 
departing  from  Cambridge;  and  although  his  compli- 
ments were  wasted  upon  Dr  Smith  who  never  became 
one  of  his  ardent  supporters,  he  was  more  successful  in 
other  quarters.  By  assiduously  applying  himself  to  the 
task  and  by  a  prodigal  expenditure  of  his  time  and 
energy,  he  acquired  a  personal  following  in  the  uni- 
versity and  thereby  laid  a  solid  foundation  for  his  power. 
It  is  true  that  as  long  as  he  was  in  the  service  of  the 
crown  he  was  able  richly  to  reward  devotion;  but  it 
would  be  wrong  to  imagine  that  his  influence  as 
Chancellor  solely  depended  upon  the  means  of  corrup- 
tion at  his  disposal.  When  the  evil  days  came  and  he 
retired  from  the  king's  service  into  the  ranks  of  a  dis- 
credited and  ineffective  opposition,  he  still  retained  a 
measure  of  control  over  the  university  and  thus  reaped 
the  harvest  he  had  sown.  There  were  of  course  some 
who  left  him  when  he  ceased  to  have  anything  to  give, 
but  there  were  many  who  remained  true,  remembering 
how  closely  he  had  identified  himself  with  the  uni- 
versity and  how  solicitous  he  was  for  its  welfare. 

The  question  of  the  extent  of  his  influence  and  the 
degree  to  which  he  interfered  in  the  affairs  of  Cambridge, 
is  not  easy  to  answer  in  a  general  fashion.  His  authority 
certainly  never  approached  anything  like  despotic  sway, 
and  more  than  once  he  met  with  a  serious  rebuff;  but 
on  the  other  hand  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  was  until 
the  end  a  power  in  the  university  and,  if  he  prudently 
refrained  from  offending  academic  susceptibilities,  could 
generally  prevail.  He  was  a  constitutional  ruler  in  the 
sense  that  he  could  do  little  or  nothing  unless  supported 
by  a  majority  of  the  Senate;  but,  as  has  been  previously 

see  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  69,  f.  70,  f.  137,  f.  139,  f.  145;  Add.  MS. 
32907,  f.  255,  f.  257,  f.  280,  f.  282,  f.  292,  f.  351;  Add.  MS.  32908, 
f.  104,  f.  144;  Add.  MS.  32923,  f.  245;  Add.  MS.  32924,  f.  384, 
£.410,  f.  441 ;  Cooper's  Annals  of  Cambridge,  iv. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    153 

explai^ied,  he  had  means,  not  strictly  constitutional,  of 
organising  the  necessary  popular  support.  But  though 
it  is  possible  to  differ  over  the  extent  of  the  control  he 
exercised,  it  would  be  generally  admitted  that  there  have 
been  very  few  Chancellors  who  have  taken  their  duties 
so  seriously  or  have  attempted  to  exercise  so  minute  a 
supervision  over  the  details  of  university  business.  This 
supervision  and  interest  extended  to  even  such  a  matter 
of  pure  routine  as  the  drafting  and  presentation  of 
addresses.  When  an  event  of  national  importance  oc- 
cured  it  was  usual  for  the  university  to  present  a  loyal 
address  to  the  crown;  and  the  customary  procedure  was 
for  the  address  to  be  drafted  by  the  Vice-Chancellor, 
approved  by  the  Heads,  passed  by  the  Senate  after  two 
readings,  and  then  presented  to  the  sovereign  by  the 
Chancellor  who  was  usually  attended  by  a  deputation 
from  the  university.  As  the  Chancellor  made  himself 
responsible  for  the  address  by  presenting  it,  he  certainly 
had  some  claim  to  be  consulted;  but  some  surprise  and 
on  occasions  resentment,  was  caused  by  Newcastle  be- 
having in  what  was  considered  to  be  an  arbitrary  fashion. 
For  instance,  when  in  the  late  summer  of  1758  the  news 
reached  England  of  the  fall  of  Louisburg,  Dr  Richard- 
son, Master  of  Emmanuel,  proposed  to  Dr  Law,  Master 
of  Peterhouse,  who  was  acting  as  deputy  Vice-Chancellor 
in  the  absence  of  the  Master  of  Corpus,  that  the  uni- 
versity should  present  an  address  to  the  crown;  and 
though  without  loss  of  time  Dr  Law  informed  the 
Chancellor,  mentioning  that  he  regarded  himself  as 
obliged  'to  consult  your  Grace  before  any  publick  step 
be  taken  in  an  affair  concerning  which  we  here  seem 
to  be  no  very  competent  judges^,'  the  Duke  was  very 
seriously  annoyed. 

'I  send  you'  he  wrote  to  Lord   Hardwicke   'a  silly  letter 
from  poor  Dr  Law:   I  call  it  silly,  for,  poor  man,  he  should 

1  Add.  MS.  32883,  f.  269. 


154    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

have  told  this  officious  Master  of  Emmanuel  that  he  had  heard 
nothing  from  the  Chancellor  who  was  the  proper  person  to  tell 
them  if  an  address  was  proper  or  expected i.' 

According  to  this  doctrine  it  was  for  the  Chancellor  to 
tell  the  university  when  to  address  the  crown;  but  even 
Newcastle  admitted  on  this  occasion  that,  as  the  sug- 
gestion had  been  made,  it  must  be  acted  upon.  He  was 
careful  however  to  see  that  the  address  should  be  such 
as  he  could  approve.  He  arranged  that  it  should  be 
drafted  by  Law  and  revised  by  Lord  Hardwicke;  and 
when  Hardwicke  sent  the  address  to  the  Duke,  he 
generously  gave  the  Master  of  Peterhouse  the  credit 
for  any  merit  it  might  have. 

'If  your  Grace  should  happen  to  approve  of  this  address'  he 
wrote  'I  suspect  that  your  usual  partiality  to  me  may  ascribe 
what  is  good  in  it  to  your  faithful  servant;  but,  if  you  do,  you 
will  in  truth  wrong  Dr  Law,  for  his  draught  (sic)  was  a  very 
good  one,  the  topics  well  chosen  and  well  expressed  in  my 
apprehension^'; 

and,  softened  perhaps  by  Hardwicke's  pleading,  the 
Duke  repented  of  his  harshness. 

'There  is  nothing  omitted'  he  wrote  to  Law  on  receiving 
the  address,  'which  the  most  zealous  servant  of  His  Majesty  and 
friend  to  his  country  could  wish  to  have  had  inserted,  and  the 
various  points  are  mentioned  so  properly  that  I  don't  know 
which  to  admire  most,  the  propriety  of  the  matter  or  the  elegance 
of  the  manner^.' 

This  was  giving  praise  in  unstinting  measure;  but  there 
was  one  phrase  in  the  draft  which  the  Duke  could  not 
allow  to  pass.  Dr  Law  had  expressed  the  hope  that  the 
King  might  'enjoy  the  calm  evening  of  a  glorious  reign,' 
but  as  that  evening  was  already  far  advanced,  Newcastle, 
who  knew  the  ways  of  kings  and  courts,  remarked  that 
'though  that  is  undoubtedly  the  fact,  I  would  submit  to 

1  Add.  MS.  32883,  f.  273.  2  Add.  MS.  32883,  f.  297. 

3  Add.  MS.  32882,  f.  333. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    155 

you  whether  in  an  address  of  congratulation  you  would 
just  name  it^.'  For  the  unfortunate  phrase  therefore 
was  substituted:  'may  in  perfect  tranquillity  enjoy  a 
long  and  glorious  reign'  and  the  King  was  spared  being 
reminded  that  he  was  on  the  verge  of  the  grave. 

The  address,  thus  amended,  having  been  submitted 
to  the  Heads  and  passed  by  the  Senate^,  was  presented 
to  the  King  on  September  1 2th,  1 758,  by  the  Chancellor 
who  was  accompanied  by  the  Masters  of  Corpus  and 
Peterhouse.  The  numerous  deputation  from  the  univer- 
sity, usual  on  such  occasions,  was  dispensed  with,  as 
fatiguing  ceremonies  were  considered  bad  for  the  King 
at  his  age^.  It  may  be  presumed  that  the  absence  of 
Dr  Richardson  was  a  punishment  for  his  forwardness 
in  suggesting  an  address;  and,  though  all  had  turned 
out  well,  it  is  evident  that  Newcastle  considered  that 
he  had  not  altogether  been  treated  with  proper  respect. 
On  this  particular  occasion  it  had  been  comparatively 
easy  for  him  to  nip  rebellion  in  the  bud  and  regain 
effective  control,  as  both  the  Vice-Chancellor,  Dr  Green, 
and  the  deputy  Vice-Chancellor,  Dr  Law,  were  his 
loyal  supporters;  but  he  could  not  rely  upon  being 
always  so  favourably  situated.  There  was  ever  the  danger 
that  an  independent  spirit  might  resent  his  interference; 
and  at  times  he  must  have  been  sorely  torn  between  a 
desire  for  the  university  to  present  an  address  and  a 
fear  that  the  particular  moment  was  not  favourable  to 
the  exercise  of  his  influence.  Generally  however  the 
occasions  demanding  an  university  address  were  too 
well  defined  to  allow  the  Chancellor  much  discretion. 
Thus  when  in  October  1759  the  news  of  the  capture 
of  Quebec  reached  England,  Newcastle  was  compelled 
to  direct  the  university  to  address  the  King;  and,  as 
Dr  Caryl  was  Vice-Chancellor,  the  Duke  probably  did 

1  Add.  MS.  32883,  f.  333.         2  Add.  MS.  32883,  f.  349,  f.  376. 
3  Add.  MS.  32883,  f.  333. 


156    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

not  anticipate  that  there  would  be  any  difficulty.  But 
Caryl's  term  of  office  was  drawing  to  a  close;  and  when 
on  November  4th  he  was  succeeded  as  Vice-Chancellor 
by  James  Burrough,  Master  of  Caius,  he  had  not  even 
completed  the  draft  of  the  address.  This  was  particularly 
unfortunate,  as  Burrough,  being  tory  in  his  sympathies, 
might  not  be  obedient  to  the  Chancellor's  wishes;  but 
Caryl  was  equal  to  the  emergency.  By  November  5th 
he  had  completed  the  address  and  communicated  it  to 
Newcastle;  but  he  purposely  delayed  handing  a  copy 
of  it  to  the  new  Vice-Chancellor  until  late  on  the  fol- 
lowing day,  his  object  being,  as  he  informed  the  Duke, 
to  prevent  any  meeting  of  the  Heads  being  summoned 
to  consider  it  before  November  7th,  by  which  time  he 
and  his  friends  would  have  had  'an  opportunity  of 
receiving  any  commands  your  Grace  may  please  to 
honour  us  with  before  it  will  become  difficult  to  pay 
a  proper  regard  to  them^'. 

The  Master  of  Caius  was  probably  unjustly  suspected 
of  wishing  to  cause  annoyance;  for  when  it  came  to  the 
point  he  proved  himself  unexpectedly  compliant.  Though 
he  had  been  anxious  for  a  numerous  deputation  from 
the  university  to  attend  the  presentation  of  the  address, 
he  at  once  abandoned  the  idea  when  it  was  pointed  out 
that  the  King  would  be  thereby  caused  unnecessary 
trouble^,  and  in  no  respect  had  Newcastle  any  reason 
to  complain  of  his  conduct.  He  earned  his  reward. 

'On  the  1 2th  of  November'  states  Cooper  in  his  Annals  of 
Cambridge  'the  following  address  was  presented  to  the  King 
at  St  James's  by  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  Chancellor  of  the 
university,  attended  by  James  Burrough,  Esq.,  Vice-Chan- 
cellor, Dr  Richardson,  Master  of  Emmanuel  College,  Dr  Law, 
Master  of  Peterhouse  and  Dr  Caryl,  Master  of  Jesus  College, 
which  address  His  Majesty  was  pleased  to  receive  very  graciously. 
They  all  had  the  honour  to  kiss  His  Majesty's  hand,  and  His 

1  Add.  MS.  32898,  f.  105.  2  Add.  MS.  32898,  f.  86. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    157 

Majesty  was  pleased  to  confer  the  honour  of  knighthood  upon 
James  Burrough,  Esq.,  Vice-Chancellor^.' 

Ten  days  before  the  expiration  of  Sir  James  Burrough's 
Vice-Chancellorship,  George  II  died;  and  it  was  of 
course  necessary  for  the  university  to  address  the  new 
King.  Burrough's  successor  as  Vice-Chancellor  was 
Sandby,  the  recently  appointed  Master  of  Magdalene, 
who  was  an  Oxford  man  and  entirely  unacquainted  with 
the  university  over  which  he  was  called  upon  to  preside; 
and  Newcastle  not  unreasonably  feared  that  he  might 
be  too  new  to  his  duties  to  produce  an  address  worthy 
of  the  occasion.  He  therefore  calmly  decided  that  the 
Vice-Chancellor  should  not  be  allowed  to  draft  the 
address,  and  instructed  Dr  Yonge  to  write  immediately 

to  the  Dean  of  Lincoln^  and  Dr  Caryl,  and  acquaint  them  that 
the  university  must  address  and  come  up  in  a  body.  That  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle  desires  they  would  take  care  that  the 
address  may  be  a  well  drawn  and  a  proper  one.  That  the  late 
King's  amiable  and  great  character  should  be  drawn.  The 
happiness  his  subjects  enjoyed  under  his  long  and  glorious  reign 
should  be  mentioned  as  well  as  the  particular  marks  of  his  grace 
and  favour  to  the  university  of  Cambridge.  Then  something  as 
strong  as  possible  upon  the  present  King — his  amiable  character 
and  good  setting  out,  and  assurances  of  the  same  duty  to  him 
and  attention  in  the  university  to  bring  up  their  youth  in 
principles  of  zeal  for  his  royal  person  and  government.  That  as 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle  is  to  read  this  address  to  the  King,  His 
Grace  wishes  that  the  draft  might  be  sent  up  to  him.  It  will  be 

a  work  of  but  twenty  four  hours That  they  will  certainly 

take  care  to  shew  all  proper  respect  and  regard  to  the  new  Vice- 
Chancellor;  but  not  leave  to  him  the  forming  of  the  address^. 

Dr  Sandby  was,  therefore,  to  be  politely  though 
firmly  shoved  aside,  and  both  he  and  the  university 
would  have  been  poor-spirited  to  submit  to  the  affront. 
But  on  this  occasion  Newcastle's  zeal  out-ran  his  dis- 

^   Cooper's  Annah,  iv,  302.  ^  Dr  Green,  Master  of  Corpus. 

3  Add.  MS.  32914,  f.  9. 


158    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

cretion;  and  he  was  rebuked  by  the  Master  of  Corpus 
who  told  him  that,  as  it  lay  with  the  Vice-Chancellor 
*to  make  any  address  which  may  happen  during  his 
year,  we  could  not  without  great  offence  take  that 
matter  out  of  his  hands^.'  Nor  indeed  was  there  any 
real  need  for  such  a  violation  of  custom,  as  Dr  Sandby, 
fully  conscious  of  his  inexperience,  was  willing  and 
anxious  to  take  expert  advice.  'As  he  was  pleased  to 
request  my  assistance  in  drawing  it  up,'  continued 
Dr  Green,  'and  the  draft  will  be  submitted  to  the 
review  and  judgment  of  your  Grace's  friends  here, 
I  hope  it  may  in  some  measure  be  executed  agreeably 
to  your  advice  and  directions^.'  Newcastle  however 
proved  more  exacting  than  the  Master  of  Corpus 
had  anticipated,  and  was  sufficiently  dissatisfied  with 
Dr  Sandby's  draft  to  return  it  for  re-consideration. 

'I  have  the  favour'  he  wrote  'of  your  letter  by  your  servant 
with  the  draught  (sic)  of  an  address  from  the  university  to  the 
King  enclosed.  As  you  are  so  good  as  to  desire  my  opinion  of  it, 
and  as  I  (as  Chancellor)  shall  have  the  honour  of  reading  it  to 
the  King,  I  hope  you  will  forgive  the  liberty  I  take  in  wishing 
that  you  and  the  Heads,  whom  you  have  consulted,  would  re- 
consider this  draught  which,  though  I  am  persuaded  it  was  not 
intended,  seems  to  me  not  quite  to  come  up  to  those  demonstra- 
tions of  duty  and  gratitude  to  my  late  royal  master  which  a 
constant  avowed  countenance  and  protection  and  a  series  of 
unprecedented  favours  have  deserved  from  us.  Some  more  ex- 
plicit declarations  with  regard  to  the  loss  which  we  with  the 
whole  nation  have  suffered,  and  some  more  specifick  assurances 
of  our  firm  resolution  to  breed  up  the  youth  under  our  care  in 
principles  and  practice  of  duty  and  loyalty  to  his  present  Majesty, 
on  whom  the  hopes  of  the  whole  nation  and  particularly  of  our 
university  now  devolve,  I  humbly  conceive  are  necessary^.' 

The  Vice-Chancellor  must  have  felt  very  much  like 
a  schoolboy  who  had  done  his  task  badly;  but,  pocketing 

1  Add.  MS.  32914,  f.  94.  2  /^;V. 

^  Add.  MS.  32914,  f.  143. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    159 

his  pride,  he  acquiesced  in  the  rebuke  and  set  to  work 
at  once  upon  another  draft  which,  with  one  sHght 
alteration,  Newcastle  cordially  approved^.  Sandby  was 
sensibly  relieved,  for  the  worst  was  now  over. 

'I  rose  very  early  this  morning'  he  informed  the  Duke  on 
November  9th  'and  wrote  out  the  address  again  from  your 
Grace's  copy  and  presented  it  before  the  Heads  in  the  vestry  at 
St  Mary's.  It  was  well  liked  there,  and  this  afternoon  I  called  a 
congregation  and  read  it  in  the  Senate  house.  To-morrow 
morning  at  nine  it  will  be  read  a  second  time^.' 

Thus  all  was  well;  but  Sandby  must  have  wondered 
whether  the  Vice-Chancellor  was  not  the  Chancellor's 
deputy  in  fact  as  well  as  in  name.  Possibly  Newcastle 
was  more  than  usually  worrying  on  this  occasion  as  it 
was  important  to  represent  the  university  in  a  favourable 
light  to  a  young  king  who  was  suspected  of  cherishing 
tory  sympathies;  and  certainly  the  presentation  of  the 
address,  which  took  place  on  November  1 2th,  1 760,  was 
attended  with  a  great  deal  of  pomp  and  ceremony.  The 
necessity  of  keeping  the  deputation  as  small  as  possible 
existed  no  longer;  and  the  Duke  went  to  Court  ac- 
companied by  the  High  Steward,  the  Vice-Chancellor, 
'several  of  the  nobility,  students  in  the  university,' 
and  a  bevy  of  bishops,  heads  of  houses,  doctors  and 
masters  of  arts^. 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  that  Newcastle  took 
his  duty  with  regard  to  university  addresses  with  almost 
unbecoming  seriousness;  and  his  fussiness  must  have 
been  extremely  irritating  to  his  victims.  His  interference 
was  due  in  great  measure  to  over-anxiety  for  the  dignity 
of  the  university  and  a  morbid  fear  of  being  treated 
as  a  cipher;  and  it  certainly  was  not  inspired  by  any 
ulterior  political  motive.  It  cannot  however  be  said 
that  his  conduct  was  always  equally  innocent,  for  there 

1  Add.  MS.  32914,  f.  183,  f.  197.  2  A^jj_  MS.  32914,  f.  221. 

^  Cooper's  Annals  of  Cambridge,  iv,  305,  306. 


i6o    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

were  occasions  when  he  laid  himself  open  to  the  charge 
of  sacrificing  the  university  to  his  requirements  as  a 
party  leader.  This  tendency  was  perhaps  most  marked 
in  the  matter  of  mandate  degrees  which  assumed  an 
unfortunate  importance  during  his  Chancellorship  and 
occasionally  placed  him  in  an  embarrassing  situation. 
It  must  be  explained  that  though  the  statutes  of  the 
university  forbade  the  granting  of  degrees,  except  to 
noblemen  and  quasi  nobiles^,  unless  the  proper  exercises 
had  been  performed  at  the  proper  time,  and  declared 
all  dispensations  from  this  regulation  to  be  null  and 
void,  it  had  always  been  permissible  for  the  crown  to 
issue  letters  mandatory  for  a  degree  to  be  granted  to 
an  unqualified  person  notwithstanding  any  statute  to 
the  contrary.  Such  action  on  the  part  of  the  crown,  as 
long  as  it  was  kept  within  due  limits  and  only  taken 
when  there  was  urgent  cause,  might  clearly  be  the  most 
easy  and  convenient  way  of  circumventing  the  rigidity 
of  the  university  constitution,  but  in  the  latter  half  of 
the  seventeenth  century  this  royal  privilege  began  to  be 
abused.  In  the  first  year  of  his  reign  Charles  II  ordered 
the  creation  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  doctors  of 
divinity,  twelve  doctors  of  civil  law,  twelve  doctors 
of  physic,  twelve  bachelors  of  divinity,  two  masters  of 
arts  and  one  bachelor  of  civil  law;  and  though  this 
wholesale  issue  of  letters  mandatory  can  be  excused  on 
the  ground  that  several  persons  had  been  prevented  by 
the  troubles  of  the  Commonwealth  period  from  taking 
their  degrees  at  the  proper  time  and  in  the  proper  way, 
it  seems  that  throughout  the  reign  of  Charles  II 
mandate  degrees  were  more  frequently  granted  than 
they  ever  had  been  before^.  It  must  have  been  obvious, 

^  Quasi  nobiles  included  all  those  allied  to  the  sovereign  hy  con- 
sanguinity or  affinity,  as  well  as  all  those  commonly  called  'honourable 
personages,  sive  men,  women  or  maids  of  honour  and  their  sons  being 
their  nearest  heirs.'  ^  Coopers  ^nna/s  of  CamiriJge,  iii,  ^81. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    i6i 

even  to  the  most  prejudiced  tories,  that  a  frequent 
exercise  of  this  right  by  the  sovereign  threatened  both 
the  independence  and  the  prestige  of  the  university, 
placing  it  between  the  dilemma  of  incurring  the  con- 
sequences of  resistance  to  the  royal  will  and  allowing 
degrees  to  be  habitually  granted  to  unfit  and  un- 
qualified persons;  and  the  system  received  its  death- 
blow when  James  II  issued  letters  mandatory  for  a 
degree  to  be  conferred  upon  Alban  Francis,  a  Bene- 
dictine monk.  Consequently,  shortly  after  the  Revolu- 
tion, it  was  agreed  between  the  crown  and  university 
that  only  on  the  receipt  of  a  petition  from  the  Chancellor 
should  letters  mandatory  be  issued  by  the  crown,  and 
that  the  Chancellor  should  not  petition  until  he  had 
received  a  certificate,  signed  by  a  majority  of  Heads  of 
Houses,  that  the  applicant  was  a  'person  of  good 
learning^.' 

By  this  arrangement  the  initiative  was  left  with  the  uni- 
versity. Letters  mandatory  could  not  be  issued  except 
upon  the  receipt  of  a  petition  from  the  Chancellor,  and 

1  The  Certificate  of  the  Heads  was  generally  in  the  following  form. 
'We,  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  the  Heads  of  colleges  in  the  university 
of  Cambridge,  whose  names  are  underwritten,  humbly  beg  leave  to 
certify  to  his  Grace,  Thomas  Holies,  Duke  of  Newcastle,  Chancellor 
of  the  university  aforesaid,  that  Robert  Roper  hath  been  recommended 
to  us  as  a  person  of  good  learning,  and  as  desirous  of  proceeding  to  the 
degree  of  doctor  in  laws  in  this  university;  but  that  he  cannot  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  same  without  His  Majesty's  most  gracious  letters  mandatory 
dispensing  with  our  statutes  in  that  behalf.  And  we  do  further  certify 
that  such  His  Majesty's  letters  mandatory  in  favour  of  the  said  Robert 
Roper  will  be  no  ways  prejudicial  either  to  the  university  in  general 
or  to  any  college  in  particular,  he  paying  the  accustomed  fees  and 
performing  the  usual  exercises,  or  giving  a  Sufficient  caution  for  the 
performance  of  the  same.'  The  Chancellor's  petition  embodied  the 
certificate,  and  concluded  with  a  request  for  the  issue  of  'His  Majesty's 
most  gracious  letters  mandatory  in  this  behalf.'  Add.  MS.  36001, 
f  275,  Add.  MS.  32933,  f  314.  See  also  Add.  MS.  32950,  f.  142, 
Add.  MS.  35629,  f.  73. 


i62    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

the  Chancellor  could  not  present  a  petition  until  he  had 
received  a  certificate  from  the  Heads  of  Houses.  Thus 
adequate  protection  was  granted,  and  for  a  time  the 
system  appears  to  have  worked  well.  During  the 
Chancellorship  of  the  Duke  of  Somerset  about  seventy 
mandate  degrees  were  conferred,  which  does  not  seem 
to  be  an  excessive  number  for  a  period  of  nearly  sixty 
years^;  and  when  in  the  reign  of  George  I  the  College 
of  Physicians,  jealous  of  the  honour  of  their  profession, 
objected  to  mandate  degrees  in  medicine,  the  university 
graciously  undertook  'not  to  confer  degrees  in  Physick, 
out  of  the  ordinary  and  regular  course,  but  with  a  very 
sparing  hand  and  unless  there  was  something  very 
particular  and  urgent  in  the  case^. '  There  were  doubt- 
less abuses,  but  the  Heads  seem  to  have  commonly 
acted  with  care  and  discrimination,  and  to  have  generally 
demanded,  before  signing  the  certificate,  that  the  appli- 
cant should  either  be  recommended  by  the  Master  of 
his  college  or  present  testimonials  from  persons  of 
standing  and  reputation  who  were  prepared  to  testify 
from  personal  knowledge  that  he  was  'of  good  learning' 
and  fully  qualified  for  the  degree  to  which  he  aspired^. 
It  is  not  surprising  that  the  university  was  unwilling 
to  cheapen  its  degrees  by  bestowing  them  upon  the 
unworthy;  and  as  long  as  the  initiative  was  left  to  those 
who  were  interested  in  making  a  sparing  use  of  the 
privilege,  the  practice  of  resorting  to  the  royal  mandate 
was  not  only  innocuous  but  positively  useful.  It  some- 
times happened  that  a  thoroughly  well  equipped  candi- 

^  Add.  MS.  32949,  f.  435.  Of  these  seventy,  ten  were  created 
doctors  of  divinity,  twelve  doctors  of  physic,  three  doctors  of  laws, 
five  bachelors  of  divinity,  one  bachelor  of  physic,  two  bachelors 
of  laws,  and  thirty-seven  masters  of  arts. 

2  Add.  MS.  32945,  f.  31;  Cooper's  Annals  of  Cambridge,  iv,  168. 

3  Add.  MS.  32936,  f.  112;  Add.  MS.  32941,  f.  114;  Add.  MS. 
32952,  f.  328,  f  330. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    163 

date  for  a  professorship  lacked  the  degree  requisite  to 
qualify  him  for  election;  and  the  deficiency  could  only 
be  remedied  by  the  intervention  of  the  crown.  It  was 
also  not  unknown  for  those,  who  for  some  reason  or 
another  had  been  obliged  to  leave  the  university  with- 
out taking  a  degree,  to  find  in  later  life  that  they  could 
not  advance  in  their  profession  without  becoming 
graduates.  This  was  frequently  the  case  among  school- 
masters; and  it  was  generally  felt  that  if  such  persons 
could  show  that  they  had  continued  their  studies  after 
leaving  the  university,  no  harm  would  be  done  by 
allowing  them  to  receive  a  mandate  degree. 

It  was  impossible  however  to  eliminate  completely 
the  danger  of  abuse;  and  during  Newcastle's  Chancellor- 
ship the  defects  in  the  system  were  revealed.  It  was 
quickly  noticed  that  more  than  the  usual  number  of 
mandate  degrees  were  being  granted,  and  that  this 
increase  was  accompanied  by  a  very  hazardous  innova- 
tion. In  1757  Frederick  Montagu,  a  Fellow-Commoner 
of  Trinity  college,  received  a  master  of  arts  degree 
by  royal  mandate,  being  the  first  Fellow-Commoner  to 
be  so  distinguished,  and  though  he  seems  thoroughly 
to  have  deserved  the  compliment  by  his  learning  and 
scholarship,  an  unfortunate  precedent  was  thereby  estab- 
lished. It  was  difficult  to  refuse  the  same  privilege  to 
other  Fellow-Commoners;  and  thus  what  had  originally 
been  intended  as  an  exception  became  the  rule. 

'I  was  sorry'  wrote  Dr  Yonge  in  1767  'when  this  practise 
(sic)  of  giving  degrees  to  the  Fellow-Commoners  began,  even 
though  the  first  person  so  honoured  was  Mr  Montagu,  for  whom 
the  university  could  not  do  more  than  enough.  But  I  saw  the 
opening  and  the  danger  of  it^.' 

There  is  no  doubt  that  Newcastle  was  partly  re- 
sponsible for  this  undesirable  increase,  and  that  he 
particularly  encouraged  the  practice  of  conferring  man- 

1  Add.  MS.  32980,  f.  112;  Add.  MS.  35629,  f.  73. 


1 64    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

date  degrees  upon  Fellow-Commoners.  In  so  doing  he 
certainly  endangered  the  independence  and  prestige 
of  the  university.  It  was  clearly  the  business  of  the 
Chancellor  to  act  as  a  check  upon  the  Heads,  in  the 
granting  of  mandate  degrees,  by  refusing  to  petition 
the  crown  unless  satisfied  that  there  was  good  cause; 
and  it  had  never  been  intended  that  he  should  take 
the  initiative  and  call  upon  the  Heads  to  produce  the 
necessary  certificates  for  the  candidates  he  recom- 
mended. The  recommendation  of  a  Chancellor  might 
be  as  difficult  to  resist  as  a  royal  command;  and  the 
case  for  the  university  was  well  put  on  one  occasion 
by  Dr  Yonge. 

'I  take  the  liberty'  he  told  the  Duke  'of  acquainting  your 
Grace  that  whenever  the  Heads  are  disposed  to  make  compli- 
ments of  masters'  degrees  to  the  young  gentlemen  who  are 
educated  at  Cambridge,  I  see  no  reason  why  your  Grace  should 
obstruct  their  designs.  They  are  very  good  judges  of  the  pro- 
priety of  the  cases  before  them,  and  will,  I  am  persuaded,  not 
recommend  any  person  but  such  as  they  think  will  not  be  dis- 
agreeable to  your  Grace.  In  general  I  cannot  but  think  it  would 
be  best  for  your  Grace  not  to  recommend  but  to  approve  their 
recommendation  when  it  shall  be  (as  this  is)  previously  made 
known  to  your  Grace^.' 

The  advice  was  sound  enough  but  it  was  very  difficult 
for  Newcastle  to  follow  it.  He  would  have  probably 
frankly  admitted  that  he  was  not  well  qualified  to  judge 
the  learning  and  attainments  of  the  candidates;  but  he 
might  fairly  have  pleaded  in  defence  of  his  conduct 
that  he  was  obliged  to  consider  the  question  from  a 
point  of  view  not  exclusively  academic.  It  was  part  of 
his  business  as  a  party  leader  to  secure  favours  for  his 
supporters  and  their  friends,  and  his  success  in  politics 
was  largely  due  to  his  thorough  execution  of  this  duty. 
He  had  encouraged  men  to  ask  for  things  both  great 

1  Add.  MS.  32980,  f.  112. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    165 

and  small,  so  as  to  advertise  his  power  as  a  patron;  and 
it  was  therefore  to  him  that  applicants  for  mandate 
degrees  or  their  friends  naturally  turned.  Consistently 
to  refuse  such  applications,  especially  when  they  came 
from  influential  quarters,  might  re-act  unfavourably 
upon  his  power  in  parliament,  and  yet  he  was  well 
aware  that  it  would  be  dangerous  to  affront  the  pride 
of  the  university  by  converting  its  degrees  into  mere 
rewards  for  political  services. 

There  was  doubtless  a  half-way  house  between  these 
two  extremes  but  the  Duke  had  some  difficulty  in 
finding  it.  He  was  far  too  ready  to  press  the  claims  of 
applicants  who  besought  him  to  use  his  influence,  and 
to  assume  the  initiative  instead  of  waiting  for  the 
university  to  take  action.  In  June  1760  he  directed 
the  Master  of  Corpus  to  take  the  proper  steps  for 
securing  a  master  of  arts  degree  by  royal  mandate  for 
Samuel  Hill,  a  Fellow-Commoner  of  St  John's^,  who 
was  only  seventeen  years  old  and  had  been  at  Cam- 
bridge for  little  more  than  a  year^.  The  command  on 
this  occasion  was  executed  without  hesitation^;  but  when 
in  1762  the  Duke  demanded  mandate  degrees  for  two 
persons,  one  of  whom  had  been  recommended  to  him 
by  Lord  Hertford,  the  request,  though  obeyed,  was  not 
much  liked.  'The  proposal  of  a  second  degree  im- 
mediately as  soon  as  the  first  had  been  granted,' 
remarked  the  Master  of  Corpus,  'occasioned,  as  the 
Vice-Chancellor  sends  me  word,  some  little  demur 
among  the  Heads*.'  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Duke's 
demands  were  apt  to  be  excessive,  and  he  was  at  last 
obliged  to  promise  the  Heads  to  be  more  moderate  for 

^  Add.  MS.  32907,  f.  373. 

2  Admissions  to  St  John's  College,  Part  III,  p.  155. 
2  Add.  MS.  32907,  f.  373. 

*  Add.  MS.  32936,  f.  112;  see  also  Add.  MS.  32936,  f.  86;  Add. 
MS.  32939,  f.  146. 


i66    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

the  future^.  It  was  not  easy  for  him  however  to  keep 
such  a  promise,  and  in  fairness  it  must  be  remembered 
that  he  was  continually  being  importuned  by  those 
whom  it  would  be  hazardous  to  refuse.  Thus  in  June 
1763  he  was  approached  by  Lord  Huntingdon  to  obtain 
a  master  of  arts  degree  for  a  certain  Mr  Ragdale,  and 
by  Lord  Clive  to  obtain  a  bachelor  of  arts  degree  for 
Thomas  Humphreys,  a  former  member  of  St  John's^. 
Both  Lord  Huntingdon  and  Lord  Clive  were  clearly 
desirable  persons  for  Newcastle  to  oblige,  and  their 
candidates  were  able  to  advance  valid  claims  for  con- 
sideration. Ragdale  was  a  clergyman  who  needed  a 
degree  in  order  to  hold  a  certain  living  in  Leicestershire 
for  which  he  was  an  applicant,  and  Humphreys,  who 
had  been  obliged  by  his  father's  death  to  leave  the  uni- 
versity after  four  terms  residence,  was  a  candidate  for 
a  mastership  at  Shrewsbury  school.  Yet  though  both 
applications  were  reasonable  and  had  influential  support, 
Newcastle  was  careful  on  this  occasion  not  to  act  pre- 
cipitately. He  was  aware  of  the  danger  of  exhausting 
the  patience  of  the  university,  and  was  further  aware 
that  it  was  not  a  favourable  moment  for  him  to  ask  a 
favour.  The  Vice-Chancellor  at  the  time  was  Dr  Goddard, 
Master  of  Clare,  who  was  the  Duke's  declared  enemy; 
and  it  might  be  taken  for  certain  that  he  would  seize 
any  opportunity  of  inflicting  a  rebufl-'  upon  the  Chan- 
cellor, Newcastle  therefore  acted  with  far  more  caution 
than  usual.  He  told  Lord  Huntingdon  that  he  could 
not  at  present  comply  with  his  demand  and  gave  a 
similar  answer  to  Lord  Clive  who  applied  a  little  later. 

'I  hope'  he  wrote  to  Lord  Clive  on  June  30th  'your  Lord- 
ship thinks  that  it  is  the  greatest  concern  to  me  that  I  am  not  at 
present  able  to  obey  your  commands  for  obtaining  a  mandate 
for  a  degree  for  A4r  Humphreys.  I  have  explained  the  whole 

1  Add.  MS.  32949,  f.  244. 

2  Add.  MS.  32949,  f.  263;  Add.  MS.  32952,  f.  330 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    167 

matter  to  him,  that  I  had  promised  the  university  to  be  more 
cautious  than  I  had  been  in  permitting  these  degrees;  and,  what 
is  worst  of  all,  it  happens  very  unluckily  that,  in  consequence  of 
that  promise,  I  did  actually  refuse,  the  day  before  yesterday  only, 
to  obtain  a  degree  for  a  friend  of  my  Lord  Huntingdon  in 
Nottinghamshire;  and  wrote  him  word  I  could  not  do  it  con- 
sistently with  my  promise  to  the  university.  Should  I  so  soon 
after  do  the  thing  for  another  it  would  not  have  a  good  appear- 
ance for  me;  and  therefore  I  am  sure  your  Lordship  will  forgive 
me.  I  have  desired  Mr  Humphreys  would  stay  a  little,  which 
I  hope  would  be  no  inconvenience  to  him^.' 

By  thus  playing  off  Ragdale  against  Humphreys  and 
Lord  Huntingdon  against  Lord  Clive,  Newcastle  had 
extricated  himself  from  a  difficult  situation;  and,  had 
he  been  content  to  do  no  more,  all  would  probably 
have  been  well.  But,  anxious  to  oblige  and  to  demon- 
strate his  influence,  he  could  not  resist  making  an 
attempt  to  secure  the  two  mandate  degrees,  even  though 
he  had  announced  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  do 
anything.  Consequently  he  instructed  Dr  Caryl  and 
his  other  friends  at  Cambridge  to  find  out  whether  it 
would  be  possible  to  satisfy  the  two  applicants. 

'Mr  Ragdale's  character'  wrote  Hurdis,  the  Duke's  secretary, 
to  Dr  Caryl  'is  an  exceedingly  good  one.  His  testimonial  is 
signed  by  very  respectable  persons  and  everybody  speaks  ex- 
tremely well  of  him.  He  has  very  considerable  connections 
amongst  His  Grace's  friends  in  Nottinghamshire;  himself  and 
his  relations  have  been  staunch  friends  for  many  years;  and  his 
case  seems  to  be  so  particular  and  indeed  so  compassionate  that 
His  Grace  cannot  but  wish  to  oblige  them,  and  that  it  may  be 
one  of  those  that  would  be  agreeable  to  the  university  to  admit.' 

Hurdis  in  the  same  letter  enlarged  upon  the  claims  of 
Humphreys,  urging  that 

if  this  should  be  an  admissible  case  and  can  be  complied  with,  con- 
sistently with  his  promise  to  the  Heads  of  the  university.  His 
Grace  would  be  glad  to  oblige  his  Lordship  upon  this  occasion^. 

1  Add.  MS.  32949,  f.  244.  2  ;^j(;}_  ]vis.  32949,  f.  263. 


i68    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

Unfortunately  however  it  was  not  made  perfectly 
clear  in  this  letter  that  both  or  neither  of  the  mandate 
degrees  must  be  granted;  and  the  omission  was  the 
cause  of  a  good  deal  of  trouble.  On  Monday  July  4th 
Ragdale  visited  Cambridge  and  waited  upon  the  Vice- 
Chancellor.  It  is  possible  that  he  prejudiced  Dr  Goddard 
in  his  favour  by  mentioning  that  his  application  had 
been  refused  by  the  Chancellor;  for  his  suit  was  success- 
ful. Moved  either  by  compassion  or  malice  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  espoused  his  cause  and  proposed  at  a  meeting 
of  the  Heads  that  he  should  be  given  a  mandate  degree. 
The  proposal  was  naturally  supported  by  the  Duke's 
friends  among  the  Heads,  and  Ragdale  was  presented 
with  the  necessary  certificate  to  take  to  the  Chancellor. 
But  as  Dr  Caryl  and  his  allies  were  convinced  that  it 
would  be  a  fatal  mistake  to  suggest  the  granting  of  two 
mandate  degrees  simultaneously,  they  purposely  re- 
frained from  bringing  forward  the  case  of  Humphreys. 
Their  policy  was  intelligible  but  it  was  extremely  in- 
convenient to  the  Duke  who  was  dismayed  on  learning 
what  had  happened. 

'My  Lord  Duke'  wrote  Hurdis  to  Dr  Caryl  on  July  8th 
'received  the  favour  of  your  letter  by  Mr  Ragdale  who  came 
here  this  morning  to  give  an  account  of  his  success  at  Cambridge, 
and  to  beg  His  Grace  would  be  so  good  as  to  sign  the  certificate, 
usual  in  such  cases,  for  the  king's  mandate.  His  Grace  was  very 
much  concerned  to  find  that  nothing  had  been  done  for  Mr 
Humphreys,  Lord  Clive's  friend.  You  must  be  sensible  from 
what  passed  when  you  was  here  that  His  Grace  does  not  like 
to  recommend  to  such  degrees,  that  he  is  resolved  to  keep  his 
promise  to  the  Heads  of  the  university  to  be  very  cautious  in 
that  respect;  but  as  these  cases  were  very  particular  and  therefore 
thought  to  be  admissible,  and  so  circumstanced  (as  appears  from 
the  letters  you  have)  that  one  could  not  be  consented  to  without 
the  other  (for  His  Grace  in  answer  to  Lord  Clive  had  made 
that  a  principal  reason  for  not  granting  his  Lordship's  request 
that  he  had  refused  to  do  the  same  thing  for  Lord  Huntingdon's 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    169 

friend  a  few  days  before)  it  was  therefore  hoped  that  both  would 
be  complied  with;  and  His  Grace  does  not  a  little  wonder  that 
the  one  should  be  granted  and  not  the  other,  which  puts  him 
under  greater  difficulties  now  than  ever,  and  has  suspended 
signing  Mr  Ragdale's  certificate  till  he  hears  further  from  you 
and  his  friends  upon  this  occasion,  and  what  can  be  done  for 
Lord  Clive's  friend  which  His  Grace  has  equally  at  heart  with 
the  other.  Mr  Ragdale  is  very  much  pressed  for  time;  he  has 
none  to  lose,  for  the  living  has  now  been  vacant  upward  of  four 
months,  and,  till  Mr  Humphreys  affair  is  determined,  his  must 
be  in  suspense,  and  therefore  it  is  hoped  the  answer  will  come 
soon^.' 

After  making  every  allowance  for  the  difficulties  of 
the  situation  in  which  the  Duke  found  himself,  there 
does  not  appear  to  be  any  sufficient  excuse  for  his  high- 
handed action  in  refusing  to  proceed  with  Ragdale's 
application  until  he  was  satisfied  that  Humphrey's  ap- 
plication would  also  be  granted.  The  two  cases  were 
unconnected  except  in  point  of  time,  Ragdale  had  been 
beforehand  with  Humphreys  in  applying,  and  it  was 
unreasonable  that  he  should  suffer  because  another 
applicant  was  disappointed.  The  Chancellor  moreover 
was  not  justified  in  refusing  to  petition  the  crown  for  a 
mandate  degree,  upon  receipt  of  a  certificate  from  the 
Heads,  unless  he  was  able  to  show  that  the  certificate 
had  been  granted  on  insufficient  grounds.  He  had 
grievously  blundered  in  attempting  simultaneously  to 
secure  two  mandate  degrees,  and  his  secretary  had 
blundered  still  deeper  in  failing  to  make  Dr  Caryl 
understand  that  Ragdale  and  Humphreys  must  stand 
or  fall  together. 

'In  excuse  of  what  is  already  passed'  wrote  the  Master  of 
Jesus  '  I  can  only  say  that  I  and  your  Grace's  friends  here  were 
verily  persuaded  that  if  we  had  tried  for  both  the  degrees  we 
had  certainly  lost  both;  and  we  made  no  question  but  that  your 
Grace  gave  the  preference  to  Mr  Ragdale's  case,  as  it  was 
^  Add.  MS.  32949,  f.  290. 


1 70    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

mentioned  in  the  first  place,  was  the  most  compassionate,  of  the 
greatest  consequence,  and  the  most  amply  recommended  to  your 
Gracei.' 

Newcastle  would  have  acted  wisely  if  he  had  allowed 
Ragdale  to  proceed  to  his  degree  and  held  out  hopes 
to  Humphreys  of  satisfaction  in  the  near  future.  He 
was  however  determined  that  one  should  not  be  taken 
and  the  other  left;  and  as  Humphreys'  case  could  not 
be  proceeded  with  until  the  autumn  when  the  univer- 
sity re-assembled  after  the  long  vacation,  he  decided 
that  Ragdale  must  wait  until  then  for  his  degree'^.  Both 
Humphreys  and  his  patron,  having  no  option,  acquiesced 
in  this  arrangement^;  but  Dr  Goddard  did  not  prove  so 
complaisant.  He  had  no  occasion  to  love  the  Chancellor 
and  very  good  reason  heartily  to  dislike  him**,  and  he 
adroitly  used  Ragdale  as  a  stick  with  which  to  beat  him. 
It  was  customary  for  the  Chancellor,  on  receipt  of  a 
certificate  from  the  Heads,  to  petition  the  crown 
through  one  of  the  Secretaries  of  State;  and  in  August 
1763  Newcastle  was  astonished  and  aghast  to  learn 
that  the  certificate  for  Ragdale's  degree  had  been  sent, 
presumably  by  the  Vice-Chancellor,  direct  to  Lord 
Egremont,  one  of  the  Secretaries  of  State,  that  there- 
upon Egremont  had  applied  to  the  crown  for  letters 
mandatory  which  had  been  granted,  and  that  on 
Saturday  August  13th  Ragdale  had  been  admitted  to 
his  degree.  To  excuse  such  an  insult  to  the  Chancellor 
and  such  a  violation  of  the  customary  procedure,  it  was 
alleged  that  Newcastle  had  requested  that  Ragdale's 
certificate  'should  be  sent  in  to  the  Secretarv's  office^'; 
but  he  certainly  had  not  given  any  such  instructions, 

1  Add.  MS.  32949,  f.  324.  2  /^/^, 

3  Add.  MS.  32949,  f.  431,  f.  438;  Add.  MS.  32950,  f.  53. 
^  For  an  account  of  relations  between  Dr  Goddard  and  the  Duke, 
see  Chapter  iv. 

5  Add.  MS.  32950,  f.  158. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    171 

and  it  can  only  be  concluded  that  Dr  Goddard,  an- 
noyed by  the  Duke's  procrastinating  policy,  intention- 
ally passed  him  over.  Furious  at  the  insult  and  the 
triumph  of  his  enemy,  Newcastle  threatened  legal 
proceedings,  consulted  with  the  Attorney-General,  and 
called  upon  Lord  Hardwicke  as  High  Steward  'to  sup- 
port and  defend  the  rights  of  the  Chancellor^';  but  he 
soon  found  that  he  was  helpless  to  avenge  himself  and 
that  the  Master  of  Clare  had  completely  outwitted  him. 

The  punishment,  though  severe,  was  hardly  un- 
deserved; for  Newcastle  had  blundered  badly  in  placing 
his  own  personal  inconvenience  before  the  respect  which 
he  owed  to  the  university.  He  had  however  no  re- 
dress; and  though  immediately  after  Goddard  had 
ceased  to  be  Vice-Chancellor,  Humphreys  obtained  his 
mandate  degree,  this  was  but  scanty  consolation^.  It 
must  be  admitted  that,  though  in  many  ways  an  ad- 
mirable Chancellor  and  genuinely  anxious  to  further 
the  interests  of  the  university,  the  Duke  sadly  mis- 
managed the  question  of  mandate  degrees.  Despite  his 
good  resolutions  he  was  not  content  to  be  a  mere 
channel  of  communication  between  the  university  and 
the  crown,  and  allowed  his  necessities  as  a  party  leader 
to  influence  his  policy  as  Chancellor.  Such  conduct 
bred  a  justifiable  resentment  in  the  university;  and  it 
may  have  been  partly  due  to  his  unwise  activity  that 
in  178  I  a  Grace  was  passed  which  required  the  assent 
of  the  Senate,  as  well  as  the  Heads,  to  petitions  for 
mandate  degrees^. 

Unfortunately  this  was  not  the  only  question  on 
which  Newcastle  found  himself  at  cross  purposes  with 
the  university.  It  had  for  long  been  a  well  established 

1  Add.  MS.  32950,  f.  142. 

2  Add.  MS.  32951,  f.  379;  Add.  MS.  32952,  f.  223,  f.  256,  f.  268, 
f.  328,  f.  330,  f.  347,  f.  399,  f.  401,  f.  41T. 

^  Add.  MS.  35629,  f.  73;  Cooper's  Annals  of  Cambridge,  iv,  400. 


172    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

custom  that  a  Vice-Chancellor  should  not  be  re-elected 
on  the  expiration  of  his  year  of  office;  and  though  in 
exceptional  circumstances  a  Vice-Chancellor  had  been 
continued  for  a  second  year,  the  practice  was  not 
popular  and  had  not  been  encouraged.  It  could  of 
course  be  urged  that  the  rule  of  enforcing  retirement 
at  the  end  of  a  year  was  essentially  wasteful,  and  that 
a  Vice-Chancellor  would  probably  be  far  more  useful 
after  twelve  months  experience  of  office;  but  the  dignity 
was  coveted,  and  it  was  obvious  that  if  a  two  years 
tenure  of  the  office  became  usual,  many  Heads  of 
Houses  would  either  never  attain  the  honour  or  be 
obliged  to  wait  for  it  longer  than  was  thought  desirable. 
Therefore,  whatever  might  be  ideally  best,  it  was 
probably  well  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  general 
contentment  of  the  university  that  the  old  custom 
should  be  maintained;  but  Newcastle  was  not  con- 
vinced by  the  argument  for  peace  and  goodwill.  He 
was  well  aware  that  it  was  extremely  important  for  him 
to  be  on  friendly  and  intimate  terms  with  the  most 
influential  resident  member  of  the  university;  and  he 
was  therefore  always  anxious  that  a  Vice-Chancellor,  of 
whom  he  approved,  should  be  continued  in  office  for 
a  second  year.  This  attitude  was  reasonable,  especially 
in  a  Chancellor  who  intended  to  play  an  active  part; 
but  it  was  almost  certain  to  provoke  trouble. 

But  for  a  time  the  Duke  was  extremely  successful  in 
converting  what  had  been  an  exception  into  an  estab- 
lished rule.  Thus  when  Dr  Keene,  Master  of  Peter- 
house,  who  had  been  appointed  Vice-Chancellor  in 
November  1749  and  proved  himself  extremely  useful 
to  the  Duke,  was  nearing  the  end  of  his  first  year  of 
office,  Newcastle  urged  his  re-election.  Circumstances 
favoured  the  design,  for  it  happened  that  all  existing 
Heads  of  Houses  had  served  their  turn  as  Vice- 
Chancellor,  and  that  if  Keene  retired  he  would  be  sue- 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    173 

ceeded  by  Dr  Wilcox,  Master  of  Qare,  who  was  elderly 
and  not  desirous  of  office.  Hence  no  resentment  was 
aroused  by  the  proposal  and  the  Master  of  Peterhouse 
was  duly  re-elected^.  It  is  possible  that  Newcastle  was 
misled  by  the  ease  with  which  his  wishes  had  been 
obeyed,  and  omitted  to  notice  that  the  circumstances 
were  peculiar  and  not  likely  to  recur  often.  Yet  he  was 
warned  that  'the  Heads  in  general  may  look  with 
jealousy  upon  this  particular  mark  of  distinction^. '  The 
temptation  however  proved  irresistible;  and  in  October 
1753  he  urged  the  prolongation  of  his  friend,  Dr  Yonge, 
Master  of  Jesus,  who  was  just  completing  his  year  of 
office  as  Vice-Chancellor. 

'There  is  nothing  so  natural'  he  informed  Dr  Keene  who 
had  recently  been  appointed  Bishop  of  Chester  'as  to  continue 
Dr  Yonge,  and  nobody  will  so  well  answer  the  end  or  be  so 
agreeable  to  me.  I  know  my  appearing  publickly  is  improper  and 
perhaps  might  do  more  hurt  than  good.  But  with  your  Lordship 
and  my  real  friends  I  flatter  myself  that  my  inclinations  will 
have  weight 3.' 

The  Duke's  inclinations  indeed  had  so  much  weight 
that  his  friends  had  anticipated  them. 

'The  day  before  I  received  your  Grace's  letter'  replied  the 
Bishop  of  Chester  '  I  had  invited  to  dinner  the  Vice-Chancellor, 
the  Masters  of  St  John's,  Trinity,  Christ's  and  Magdalene;  and 
took  occasion,  in  the  absence  of  the  Vice-Chancellor,  to  mention 
the  affair  and  it  is  but  justice  to  those  gentlemen  that  I  assure 
your  Grace  their  only  question  was  what  your  sentiments  were, 
and  on  my  telling  them  they  determined  to  assist.  I  do  not  hear 
of  any  objection  to  the  measure  amongst  the  body,  and  I  am 
verily  persuaded  that  it  will  be  effected  and  in  the  handsomest 
manner^.' 

The  Bishop  proved  a  true  prophet,  and  the  Master 
of  Jesus  was  continued  as  Vice-Chancellor  for  another 
year.  When  he  finally  resigned  in  November  1754  he 

1  Add.  MS.  32722,  f.  418.  2  Add.  MS.  32722,  f.  418. 

3  Add.  MS.  32733,  f.  135.  4  Add.  MS.  32733,  f.  148. 


174    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

was  succeeded  by  Dr  Thomas,  Master  of  Christ's;  and 
as  Dr  Thomas  was  also  an  ardent  supporter,  Newcastle 
assumed,  almost  as  a  matter  of  course,  that  he  too 
would  be  continued  for  a  second  year.  But  there  were 
limits  to  the  patience  of  the  university,  and  the  Chan- 
cellor had  succeeded  in  reaching  them. 

'His  Grace,  as  your  Lordship  may  remember,'  wrote  Dr 
Thomas  to  Lord  Dupplin  in  October  1755,  'desired  me  to 
continue  another  year  in  the  office  of  Vice-Chancellor  which, 
in  obedience  to  his  commands,  I  readily  submitted  to.  And 
when  I  returned  to  college  I  found  that  many  of  our  friends 
here  took  it  for  granted  that  I  was  to  continue  in  office  a  second 
year.  But  I  find  now  that  Dr  Walker,  Vice-Master  of  Trinity 
college,  and  several  in  that  college  declare  they  will,  if  they 
can,  prevent  the  office  from  being  continued  two  years  in  my 
hands  or  in  the  hands  of  any  other  person.  And  the  tories  and 
the  friends  of  the  Master  of  Caius  college  are  grown  very 
jealous  and  suspicious  of  a  design  of  keeping  him  out  of  the 
Vice-Chancellorship,  and  will  doubtless  be  very  ready  to  join 
the  Trinity  people^.' 

The  revolt  of  Trinity  was  an  ugly  phenomenon.  It 
was  not  inspired  by  any  dislike  of  Dr  Thomas,  who  had 
proved  a  successful  and  tactful  Vice-Chancellor^,  but 
intended  as  a  protest  against  the  Chancellor's  attack 
upon  the  established  traditions  of  the  university. 
Dr  Thomas  believed  that  not  only  was  he  personally 
popular  in  Trinity  but  that 

several  in  that  college,  if  they  had  not  known  that  it  was  agree- 
able to  our  Chancellor  to  have  had  me  continued  in  office 
another  year,  would  have  voted  for  me  sooner  than  any  other 
person  in  the  university^; 

1  Add.  MS.  32860,  f.  118. 

2  'They  cannot  have  any  objection  to  me '  wrote  Dr  Thomas 
'unless  they  be  tired  with  peace  and  quietness.  For  everything  has  been 
carried  on  all  the  year  in  the  most  quiet  manner  without  one  non- 
placet  in  the  Senate  house  and  without  the  least  disturbance  in  the 
university.'  Add.  MS.  32860,  f.  118. 

3  Ibid. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    175 

and  this  opinion  was  probably  based  upon  something 
more  substantial  than  personal  vanity.  It  was  clearly 
the  Chancellor  who  was  the  object  of  the  attack,  and 
Trinity,  as  one  of  the  largest  and  most  influential  of  the 
colleges,  was  able  to  make  an  effective  protest  and  to 
count  upon  considerable  support  in  the  university  at 
large.  The  rebels  moreover  were  able  to  contend  with 
some  show  of  reason  that  they  had  law  as  well  as 
tradition  on  their  side,  and  that  for  a  Vice-Chancellor 
to  remain  in  office  for  two  successive  years  was  not 
only  inexpedient  and  irregular  but  illegal.  By  an  act 
passed  in  the  ninth  year  of  Queen  Anne's  reign,  it  was 
provided  that 

no  person  who  has  been  in  an  annual  office  in  any  borough  or 
town  corporate,  to  which  person  it  belongs  to  preside  at  the 
election  and  to  make  return  for  any  member  to  serve  in  parlia- 
ment, shall  be  capable  of  being  chosen  in  the  same  office  for  the 
year  immediately  ensuing^; 

and  it  was  argued  that  as  the  university  members  were 
elected  under  the  title  of  burgesses,  the  university  was 
consequently  a  borough,  and  that  therefore  the  Vice- 
Chancellor,  as  the  returning  officer,  was  not  eligible  for 
re-election^. 

Though  the  argument  may  have  been  unsound,  it 
was  good  enough  to  convince  men  willing  to  be  con- 
vinced; and,  threatened  by  what  might  turn  out  to  be 
a  rebellion  on  a  large  scale,  Newcastle  beat  a  timely 
retreat,  and  in  November  1755  Dr  Law,  Master  of 
Peterhouse,  succeeded  the  Master  of  Christ's  as  Vice- 
Chancellor.  Like  everybody  else  in  the  university  the 
new  Vice-Chancellor  was  well  aware  that  he  was  an 
unwelcome  intruder  as  far  as  Newcastle  was  concerned, 

^  Add.  MS.  32860,  f.  195.  Those  are  not  the  exact  words  of  the 
act,  for  which  see  'Statutes  at  Large,'  ninth  year  of  Queen  Anne,  c.  20. 
2  Add.  MS.  32860,  f.  195. 


176    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

and  that  his  election  represented  a  victory  for  the  party 
of  resistance. 

'  I  think  myself  obliged '  he  wrote  '  to  take  the  first  oppor- 
tunity of  acquainting  your  Grace  that  the  university  has  this 
day  conferred  an  honour  upon  me,  very  much  against  my  own 
inclination  and  endeavour,  in  electing  me  Vice-Chancellor  for 
the  ensuing  year.  An  office  which  is  now  made  the  less  agreeable 
as  going  contrary  both  to  your  Grace's  judgment  and  the 
general  good^.' 

The  Duke  was  doubtless  deeply  mortified  by  what 
he  must  have  deemed  factious  resistance;  but  he  had 
only  himself  to  blame.  He  had  been  warned  that  the 
policy  he  was  pursuing  was  likely  to  cause  resentment; 
and  though  it  was  natural  that  he  should  desire  to  con- 
tinue a  friendly  Vice-Chancellor,  he  had  no  excuse  for 
neglecting  the  force  of  public  opinion.  As  in  the  matter 
of  mandate  degrees  he  allowed  his  own  personal  con- 
venience to  outweigh  more  important  considerations; 
and  so  strong  was  this  inclination  that  it  was  some  time 
before  he  drew  the  proper  conclusions  from  the  Trinity 
rebellion.  A  few  weeks  before  Dr  Law  completed  his 
first  year  of  office,  Dr  Summer  was  elected  Provost  of 
King's;  and  if  the  customary  order  of  succession  was 
observed,  the  newly  elected  Provost  would  follow  the 
Master  of  Peterhouse  as  Vice-Chancellor.  The  prospect 
was  displeasing  to  Newcastle  who  had  opposed 
Sumner's  election  as  Provost,  and  he  therefore  began 
to  consider  ways  and  means  of  preventing  what  he 
doubtless  regarded  as  a  catastrophe.  It  is  not  likely  that 
he  contemplated  the  prolongation  of  Law,  for,  apart 
from  the  danger  of  such  a  scheme,  he  appears  to  have 
held  the  Master  of  Peterhouse  in  unjustifiably  low 
esteem;  but  it  is  possible  that  he  might  have  been  driven 
to  this  extremity  if  a  happier  solution  of  the  difficulty 
had  not  been  suggested.  With  an  ingenuity  for  which 
1  Add.  MS.  32860,  f.  357. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    177 

he  is  deserving  of  much  credit,  Dr  Keene  pointed  out 
that  Dr  Green,  who  had  been  Master  of  Corpus  since 
1750,  had  never  served  as  Vice-Chancellor,  being 
disqualified  by  holding  the  Regius  Professorship  of 
Divinity^;  but  that,  as  he  had  already  announced  his 
intention  of  resigning  his  professorship^,  it  was  ex- 
pedient that  he  should  execute  his  intention  without 
delay,  and  thereby  establish  a  claim  to  succeed  Law  as 
Vice-Chancellor^.  The  scheme  was  certainly  ingenious 
but  it  had  one  serious  defect.  Dr  Sumner  was  senior 
by  degree  to  Dr  Green  and  consequently  entitled  to 
precede  him  as  Vice-Chancellor,  but  it  was  hoped  that 
as  the  Provost  had  long  been  absent  from  the  univer- 
sity and  was  entirely  unacquainted  with  its  business, 
he  might  be  happy  to  be  allowed  to  delay  undertaking 
a  taskforwhich  he  lacked  the  necessary  experience.  This 
expectation  however  was  not  fulfilled.  In  answer  to 
Dr  Green,  who  had  broached  the  question  with  him, 
the  Provost  with  Roman  fortitude  replied  that  he  was 
deeply  obliged 

for  the  civility  of  the  offer,  but  that  by  accepting  the  Headship 
he  thought  he  ought  not  to  decline  any  trouble  that  fell  to  his 
share,  that  he  understood  the  office  would  by  the  rules  of  the 
university  come  to  him  the  following  year^,  and  that  it  would 
not  become  any  person  of  resolution  to  postpone  the  discharging 
it  on  account  of  some  little  inconvenience,  and  that  another 
year  might  perhaps  be  as  inconvenient  to  him  as  the  next^. 

When  Dr  Green  inquired  if  this  was  his  final  answer, 
he  replied  that  it  was. 

It  is  extremely  likely  that  Dr  Sumner  was  well  aware 
that  Newcastle  distrusted  him,  and  that  a  plot  was  on 
foot  to  prevent  his  election  as  Vice-Chancellor.  He  not 

^  Chapter  i,  p.  27,  n.  2. 

^  Green  had  recently  been  made  Dean  of  Lincoln. 

•^  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  106.  *  That  is  the  next  academic  year. 

5  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  370. 


178    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

unnaturally  declined  to  be  a  party  to  the  intrigue  of 
which  he  was  to  be  the  victim;  and  if  he  chose  to  stand 
out  for  what  was  certainly  his  right  by  custom,  he  could 
count  upon  considerable  support  in  the  university. 
Dr  Yonge  and  Dr  Thomas  agreed  with  the  Master  of 
Corpus  in  believing  that  if  the  Provost  'persists  in  this 
resolution,  he  can't  be  attempted  to  be  sett  aside  without 
many  and  great  inconveniences  or  without  throwing 
this  place  into  a  great  ferment^ ' ;  and  this  was  no  ground- 
less fear.  It  would  be  comparatively  easy  to  raise  once 
again  the  cry  that  the  Chancellor  was  tampering  with 
the  independence  of  the  university;  and  it  seemed  not 
at  all  improbable  that  Trinity  would  take  up  the  cudgels 
for  Sumner  as  they  had  taken  them  up  for  Law^.  The 
fear  of  what  might  happen  served  as  a  sufficient  deter- 
rent; and  although  the  Master  of  Corpus  resigned  his 
professorship  in  order  to  be  ready  for  any  emergency, 
it  was  finally  decided,  that  as  the  Provost  had  indicated 
he  was  ready  to  adopt  a  friendly  attitude  towards 
Newcastle^,  it  would  be  wise  to  allow  him  to  become 
Vice-Chancellor*.  Consequently  he  succeeded  Law  in 
November  1756;  and  the  Duke  was  particularly  careful 
to  give  him  a  cordial  welcome. 

'The  university'  he  declared  'could  not  have  made  a  better 
choice,  and  I  shall  be  extremely  happy  if  during  the  time  of 
your  Vice-Chancellorship  it  may  be  in  my  power  to  be  of  any 
use  or  service  to  you  in  the  execution  of  your  office.  Allow  me 
also  to  thank  you  for  some  particular  marks  of  regard  which  I 
have  received  from  you,  and  to  assure  you  that,  though  from  a 
previous  engagement  I  had  it  not  in  my  power  upon  a  late 
occasion  to  show  you  the  due  regard  I  had  for  you,  nobody  is 
more  sensible  of  your  merit  than  myself  or  shall  be  more  desirous 

1  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  370.  2  /^;V_ 

^  The  Provost  had  undertaken  to  support  Newcastle's  candidate  for 
the  Regius  Professorship  of  Divinity  which  Dr  Green  was  vacating. 
*  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  410;  see  also,  f.  382,  f.  464. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    179 

to  show  you,  and  the  learned  society  of  which  you  are  the  head, 
all  marks  of  my  esteem  and  regard^.' 

This  was  an  extremely  courtly  welcome,  but  the  Duke 
was  probably  much  annoyed  at  his  failure.  It  must  have 
seemed  intolerable  to  him  that  the  university  should 
think  more  of  custom  than  of  his  wishes;  and  until  the 
very  end  he  fretted  against  the  restrictions  imposed  by 
the  dead  hand  of  tradition.  Had  it  not  been  for  the 
wise  advice  tendered  by  his  friends  at  Cambridge,  it  is 
possible  that  he  would  have  ventured  upon  further 
trials  of  strength.  When  Dr  Green,  who  had  succeeded 
the  Provost  as  Vice-Chancellor,  was  approaching  the 
end  of  his  year  of  office,  he  was  urged  by  the  Duke  to 
stand  for  re-election;  but  he  wisely  declined  to  embark 
upon  an  enterprise  which  if  it  failed  would  be  extremely 
damaging  to  the  Chancellor's  prestige,  and  if  it  suc- 
ceeded would  bequeath  a  legacy  of  hatred. 

'I  beg  leave  to  acquaint  your  Grace'  he  wrote  on  November 
3rd,  1758,  'that  this  morning  I  resigned  the  office  of  Vice- 
Chancellor  in  the  usual  form.  As  I  was  well  apprized  of  your 
sentiments  as  to  the  expediency  of  continuing  for  two  years,  and 
think  it  would  be  much  for  the  advantage  of  this  place,  I  used 
the  precaution  of  calling  together  your  Grace's  friends  to  consult 
about  this  matter  and  to  offer  my  service  for  another  year  if  it 
should  be  thought  an  advisable  measure.  After  a  due  considera- 
tion of  the  affair  it  was  not  judged  proper  to  attempt  it  at  present, 
as  it  would  not  probably  be  done  without  an  opposition^.' 

Dr  Green's  refusal  to  stand  for  re-election  seems  to 
have  convinced  Newcastle  that,  whatever  he  might 
think  of  university  traditions  and  however  incon- 
venient he  found  them,  he  must  at  least  pay  them  the 
homage  of  outward  respect.  It  is  significant  that  the 
much  trusted  Dr  Caryl,  who  succeeded  the  Master  of 
Corpus  as  Vice-Chancellor,  retired  from  office  at  the 
end  of  a  year;  and  though  at  the  height  of  the  High 

1  Add.  MS.  32869,  f.  55.  2  Add.  MS.  32885,  f.  212. 


i8o    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

Steward  controversy  the  Duke  contemplated  a  return 
to  his  old  policy,  he  was  dissuaded  from  embarking 
upon  such  a  perilous  venture  by  the  Master  of  Corpus, 
and  manfully  resisted  the  proposal  when  it  was  put 
forward  by  the  Bishop  of  Ely. 

'I  objected  to  his  Lordship'  he  declared  'the  supposed  illegal- 
ity of  a  returning  officer,  the  Vice-Chancellor,... serving  his 
office  two  years  successively.  The  Bishop  would  not  imagine 
that  that  could  be  so,  as  the  contrary  had  been  so  often  practised; 
but  whether  the  objection  in  law  be  founded  or  not  I  am  not 
prepared  to  say;  but  the  objection  in  fact  is  sufficient  to  lay  aside 
any  thought  of  that  kind.  For  under  the  present  doubts  and  in 
the  present  situation  of  things,  the  university  would  certainly 
not  consent  to  it;  and,  if  we  were  to  attempt  it,  we  should  (I  am 
afraid)  try  our  strength  upon  a  very  weak  and  unpromising  point^.' 

This  was  something  of  the  nature  of  a  death-bed 
repentance;  and  it  is  evident  that  Newcastle  had  mis- 
managed the  questions  of  mandate  degrees  and  the 
Vice-Chancellor's  tenure  of  office.  By  the  attitude  he 
had  adopted  in  both  cases  he  had  given  rise  to  the 
suspicion  that  he  was  seeking  to  play  the  part  of  a 
dictator,  and  thus  done  himself  an  injustice;  for  he  had 
no  desire  to  convert  the  Chancellorship  into  a  despotism. 
He  was  well  aware  that  the  university  was  jealous  of 
its  independence  and  resented  dictation;  and  his  aim 
was  therefore  to  guide  rather  than  direct,  and  to  estab- 
lish an  influence  which  would  be  more  felt  than  seen. 
Such  a  policy  was  difficult  to  put  in  practice,  and  it  is 
evident  that  he  was  not  always  successful,  especially 
where  his  own  immediate  interests  were  concerned,  in 
exercising  the  necessary  restraint;  but  he  was  aware  of 
the  danger  and  occasionally  displayed  a  most  commend- 
able caution. 

His  caution  is  most  noticeable  in  the  matter  of  pro- 
fessorial elections.  It  was  extremely  important  for  the 

1  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  249. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    i8i 

maintenance  of  his  influence  that  not  only  his  friends 
should  occupy  the  high  places  in  the  university  but 
that  the  aspirants  to  such  places  should  understand  that 
they  could  not  afford  to  be  indifferent  to  the  goodwill 
of  the  Chancellor.  If  his  avowed  opponents  succeeded 
in  securing  all  the  prizes  of  academic  life,  it  would  be 
difficult  for  him  to  win  followers  except  among  that 
very  small  minority  which  preferred  a  losing  cause  and 
disclaimed  worldly  advancement.  On  the  other  hand  it 
would  be  extremely  dangerous  for  him  to  interfere 
openly  in  such  elections.  The  electors  were  under  a 
moral  obligation  to  judge  fairly  and  impartially  between 
the  candidates;  and  though  it  must  be  admitted  that 
this  obligation  sat  particularly  lightly  upon  many  of 
them,  it  would  be  probably  remembered  and  evoked 
with  due  solemnity  if  the  Chancellor  attempted  any- 
thing like  dictation.  Moreover,  if  he  openly  espoused 
the  cause  of  one  particular  candidate,  he  could  hardly 
avoid  incurring  the  hostility  of  all  the  other  competitors, 
and  thus  make  many  enemies  in  order  to  win  a  single 
friend.  Generally  speaking  however  he  seems  to 
have  successfully  steered  a  course  between  the  two 
dangerous  extremes.  He  undoubtedly  took  a  very  inti- 
mate interest  in  professorial  elections  and  encouraged 
the  candidates  to  appeal  for  his  favour;  but,  unless  it 
was  absolutely  necessary,  he  refrained  from  com- 
mitting himself  deeply  in  support  of  any  single  com- 
petitor, and  remained  as  much  as  possible  in  the  back- 
ground. There  is  no  doubt  that  this  was  the  right  policy 
for  him  to  pursue.  It  would  certainly  be  inexpedient 
for  him  to  express  a  preference  if  all  the  candidates 
were  his  loyal  supporters;  and,  if  it  was  necessary  to 
prevent  the  election  ot  an  enemy,  this  task  could  be 
best  performed  by  his  agents  at  Cambridge  who,  while 
carrying  out  his  instructions,  would  be  careful  to  give 
an  appearance  of  acting  independently. 


i82    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

From  the  very  first  Newcastle  seems  to  have  pursued 
this  policy  which,  though  it  involved  him  in  a  net  of 
intrigue  and  entailed  endless  correspondence,  was  pro- 
bably the  best  means  he  had  of  keeping  a  control  over 
professorial  appointments  without  incurring  the  charge 
of  encroaching  upon  the  independence  of  the  univer- 
sity. At  about  the  same  time  as  he  became  Chancellor, 
the  Regius  Professorship  of  Divinity  fell  vacant  through 
the  death  of  Dr  Whalley,  Master  of  Peterhouse;  and 
before  Dr  Whalley  was  actually  dead,  Dr  Smith,  Master 
of  Trinity  appealed  to  Newcastle  to  support  Philip 
Yonge,  a  Fellow  of  Trinity,  who  was  thinking  of 
standing  for  the  professorship.  Dr  Smith  was  extremely 
pressing  and  engagingly  frank. 

'On  my  return  to  Cambridge'  he  wrote  on  December  iith, 
1748,  'I  found  our  Divinity  Professor  in  so  weak  a  condition 
that  his  death  is  expected  every  hour.  That  professorship  most 
properly  belongs  to  Trinity  college  as  being  founded  by  King 
Henry  VIII  who  has  obliged  us  to  pay  the  Professor  a  salary  of 
forty  pounds  per  annum  out  of  the  estates  he  gave  us;  to  this 
King  James  I  annexed  the  rectory  of  Summersham,  valued  at 
about  £2^0  per  annum.  In  consideration  of  the  salary  being 
paid  by  us,  the  founder  has  given  us  three  votes  out  of  seven  for 
electing  the  Professor,  viz.  the  Master  and  the  two  maxime 
seniores  who  are  Dr  Walker  and  Mr  Whitehall.  The  other 
four  out  of  the  college  are  the  Vice-Chancellor,  Dr  George, 
Dr  Newcome  and  Dr  Rook  as  Heads  of  King's,  St  John's  and 
Christ's  College.  By  this  it  appears  that  the  founder  has  almost 
appropriated  the  professorship  to  a  Trinity  college  man,  seeing 
that  one  more  vote  than  our  three  will  carry  it  for  him.  Our 
present  candidate  is  Mr  Yonge,  a  very  amiable  man,  a  true  friend 
to  the  government,  an  excellent  scholar  from  Westminster 
school,  and  esteemed  by  us  as  the  greatest  ornament  of  it.  So 
that  for  the  honour  of  Westminster  school,  which  your  Grace 
has  frequently  put  me  in  mind  of  and  which  I  have  much  at 
heart,  I  must  beg  the  favour  of  your  Grace  to  assist  Mr  Yonge, 

particularly  by  applying  to   Dr  George^ Mr  Yonge  is  well 

■'■   Provost  of  King's. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    183 

acquainted  with  Dr  George  who  has  told  him  to-day  that  he  is 
not  yet  engaged^.' 

Philip  Yonge,  who  has  already  figured  prominently 
in  this  narrative  as  Dr  Yonge,  Master  of  Jesus  and 
later  Bishop  of  Norwich,  was  already  a  person  of 
established  reputation  in  the  university.  In  1746  he 
had  been  appointed  to  the  office  of  Public  Orator,  and 
he  was  well  known  to  Newcastle  whose  interest  he  had 
steadily  supported.  He  doubtless  counted  upon  his 
patron's  favour  in  this  venture,  for  otherwise  it  is  un- 
likely that  he  would  have  thought  of  standing.  To  be 
eligible  for  election  it  was  necessary  to  be  either  a 
doctor  or  bachelor  of  divinity;  and  as  Yonge  was  only 
a  master  of  arts,  he  would  have  to  qualify  for  election 
by  taking  the  degree  of  doctor  of  divinity,  per  saltum^^ 
which  however  he  could  not  do  without  removing  his 
name  from  the  books  of  his  college  and  forfeiting  his 
Fellowships.  Thus  he  ran  the  risk  of  losing  his  Fellow- 
ship without  gaining  the  professorship;  and  it  was  not 

1  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  421. 

^  'If  he  be  a  master  of  arts  and  not  a  gremial,  he  may  take  the 
degree  of  doctor  of  divinity,  per  saltum,  provided  he  be  of  twelve 
years  standing  from  the  degree  of  master  of  arts.'  Gunning's  Ceremonies, 
pp.  180— 181.  Yonge  took  his  M.A.  degree  in  1735. 

^  The  custom  by  which  it  was  necessary  to  remove  your  name  from 
the  books  of  your  college  before  taking  a  degree,  per  saltum,  was  based 
upon  a  misunderstanding.  By  an  interpretation  given  in  1575  of  the 
2 1st  chapter  of  the  Elizabethan  statutes,  the  privilege  of  taking  a  degree, 
per  saltum,  was  confined  to  non-gremials  which  properly  and  originally 
meant  non-resident  members  of  the  university.  In  course  of  time, 
however,  the  term  gremial  came  to  be  applied  to  all  members  of 
the  Senate,  whether  resident  or  not,  and  therefore  non-gremial  came 
to  denote  non-membership  of  the  Senate.  See  Appendix  A,  p.  xvii, 
n.  \,  of  Peacock's  Observations  on  the  statutes  of  the  University.  It 
should  be  noted  that  Yonge  could  not  get  over  the  difficulty  by  obtaining 
the  degree  of  doctor  of  divinity  by  royal  mandate,  as  probably  a  good 
many  of  the  Heads  would  have  been  unwilling  in  the  circumstances 
to  approve  the  necessary  certificate. 


1 84    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

even  possible  for  him  to  be  re-elected  to  his  Fellowship 
after  having  resigned  it.  If  he  had  been  possessed  of  the 
gaming  instinct  he  might  have  been  attracted  by  the 
hazard  of  the  game;  but  he  was  not  a  gambler  by  nature, 
and  had  not  the  slightest  intention  of  relinquishing  a 
comfortable  competence  unless  he  could  make  certain 
of  securing  something  better.  His  election  was  sure  if 
four  out  of  the  seven  electors  pledged  themselves  to 
support  him;  and,  having  engaged  the  votes  of  the 
three  Trinity  electors,  he  naturally  looked  to  Newcastle 
to  win  over  the  Provost  of  King's  and  thereby  make  his 
success  certain^. 

It  might  have  been  expected  that  Newcastle  would 
have  rushed  to  the  support  of  his  follower  and  secured 
the  Provost's  vote  without  delay,  but  he  was  far  too  ex- 
perienced in  such  matters  to  allow  himself  to  be  hurried, 
and  knew  that  it  was  always  best  to  play  for  time.  He 
replied  to  Dr  Smith  in  an  extremely  non-committal 
fashion,  lavishing  compliments  upon  Trinity  and  Yonge 
but  at  the  same  time  carefully  pointing  out  that  the 
other  electors  were  'persons  for  whom  I  cannot  but 
have  the  greatest  regard,  and  that  they  may  with  reason 
expect  of  me  that  I  should  not  take  a  determined  part 
in  this  affair  without  first  knowing  their  sentiments 
upon  it^.'  This  was  a  polite  way  of  intimating  that  he 
would  not  pledge  himself  before  ascertaining  who  were 
likely  to  be  candidates;  and  it  was  well  that  he  waited. 
In  addition  to  Yonge,  Dr  Rutherforth,  Fellow  and 
Tutor  of  St  John's,  John  Green,  then  a  comparatively 
unknown  Fellow  of  St  John's  but  afterwards  Master  of 
Corpus  and  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  and  Dr  Rooke,  Master 
of  Christ's,  announced  their  intention  of  standing;  and 
though  from  the  first  Rutherforth  had  no  chance  of 

1  Yonge  and  Dr  Walker  also  wrote  to  the  Duke.   Add.  MS.  32717, 
f".  423,  f.  426. 

^  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  431. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    185 

succeeding,  as  he  had  been  one  of  the  leaders  of  the 
faction  which  had  favoured  the  Prince  of  Wales' 
candidature  for  the  Chancellorship  and  was  unsup- 
ported by  any  of  the  electors,  the  two  other  competitors 
were  likely  to  prove  very  serious  rivals  to  Yonge.  Both 
Green  and  Rooke  were  stalwart  supporters  of  Newcastle 
and  had  claims  upon  his  favour  which  could  not  possibly 
be  disregarded.  It  is  possible,  and  certainly  not  in- 
congruous with  his  character,  that  Dr  Smith,  knowing 
that  Green  and  Rooke  were  about  to  come  forward, 
hoped  to  surprise  the  Duke  and  induce  him  prematurely 
to  commit  himself  to  Yonge.  As  a  politician  however 
the  Chancellor  was  quite  a  match  for  the  Master  of 
Trinity  who  gained  nothing  by  his  early  application. 
*I  take  it  for  granted'  wrote  the  Vice-Chancellor  to 
Lord  Dupplin  'that  his  Grace  will  be  cautious  of  inter- 
posing^ ' ;  and  the  Duke  stood  in  no  need  of  the  warning. 
It  was  hazardous  for  him  to  discriminate  between  the 
three  candidates  who  were  his  friends;  and,  as  there  was 
no  danger  of  Rutherforth  being  successful,  the  right 
policy  for  the  Chancellor  was  at  least  to  make  a  show 
of  standing  aside  and  leaving  the  issue  to  be  decided 
by  the  electors. 

How  far  he  really  stood  aside  it  is  difficult  to  say; 
and  it  may  be  that  his  neutrality  was  more  nominal 
than  real.  It  is  certain  however  that  he  refused  to 
intervene  on  behalf  of  Yonge  who  abandoned  his 
candidature  on  discovering  that  the  Vice-Chancellor 
and  the  Provost  of  King's  were  pledged  to  support 
Dr  Rooke,  that  the  Master  of  St  John's  had  engaged 
himself  to  vote  for  Green,  and  that  Dr  Rooke,  who  was 
an  elector  in  his  capacity  of  Master  of  Christ's,  would 
either  vote  for  himself  or  not  vote  at  all^.   By  with- 

1  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  443.  The  Vice-Chancellor  was  Dr  Chapman, 
Master  of  Magdalene. 

-  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  435,  f.  465,  f.  481.  It  was  provided  that  in 


1 86    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

drawing  from  the  contest  he  not  only  saved  his  Fellow- 
ship of  Trinity  but  increased  in  favour  with  the  Duke 
by  not  playing  the  part  of  an  importunate  suitor. 

'I  don't  enter  into  the  reasons  that  induced  you  to  it'  wrote 
Newcastle  to  Yonge  'but  am  persuaded  that  you  are  so  reason- 
able and  must  know  the  delicacy  of  my  present  situation  so  well 
that,  however  I  may  have  wished  your  success  from  the  great 
good  opinion  I  have  of  you  and  long  acquaintance  I  have  had 
with  you,  you  could  not  expect  that  I  should  have  gone  further 
than  I  have  done,  at  least  as  yet,  in  your  favour.  All  the  electors 
without  distinction  and  all  the  candidates  but  one  are  equally 
my  friends,  and  would  have  had  just  cause  to  complain  of  me 
if  in  my  present  circumstances  I  had  at  once  declared  in  favour 
of  any  one  candidate,  before  I  either  knew  who  the  other 
candidates  might  be  or  what  were  the  sentiments  of  the  particular 
electors^.' 

Yonge's  withdrawal  eased  but  did  not  remove  the 
Duke's  difficulties.  He  was  appealed  to  by  Dr  Rooke 
to  persuade  the  Master  of  St  John's  to  abandon  his 
support  of  Green^,  and  was  urged  by  the  Master  of 
St  John's  to  espouse  Green's  cause: 

'Mr  Green'  wrote  the  Master  'is  a  most  excellent  preacher, 
a  very  good  scholar  and  divine,  and  has  presided  in  our  divinity 
disputes  in  the  chapel  with  great  credit.   He  is  a  true  friend  to 

your  Grace  and  to  the  Royal  Family In  short,  and  to  be  plain, 

amongst  your  Grace's  friends  I  think  none  of  the  competitors 
equal  to  Mr  Green 2.' 

But  this  opinion  of  the  Master  of  St  John's  was  not 
shared  by  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  the  Provost  of  King's 
who  thought  none  of  the  competitors  equal  to  Dr  Rooke, 
and  presumably   Dr  Rooke   was   in    agreement   with 

the  event  of  no  candidate  obtaining  at  least  four  votes,  the  Vice-Chancellor 
and  the  Master  of  Trinity  should  elect,  and  if  they  failed  to  agree,  the 
Chancellor,  if  he  was  a  Bishop,  or  otherwise  the  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury, was  to  appoint  to  the  professorship. 

1  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  478.     2  Add.  MS.  32717,  f  435. 

3  Add.  MS.  32717,  f  472. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    187 

them.  The  uncertain  but  decisive  factor  was  of  course 
the  Trinity  vote,-  and  both  Green  and  Rooke  hoped 
that  the  Duke  would  intervene  to  secure  that  vote  for 
them.  Newcastle  however  was  no  more  prepared  to 
intervene  for  them  than  he  had  been  for  Yonge ;  and 
though  it  was  tolerably  certain  that  the  three  Trinity 
electors  would  all  vote  the  same  way,  it  was  difficult  to 
forecast  which  way  it  would  be.  As  Dr  Rooke  had  been 
a  scholar  of  Trinity  in  his  time,  he  expected  their 
support,  especially  against  a  Johnian^;  but,  as  he  was 
one  of  the  most  unpopular  characters  in  the  university, 
it  is  possible  that  he  was  too  well  known  in  his  old 
college  to  find  much  favour  there.  It  is  at  least  signi- 
ficant that  Yonge  privately  told  Green,  some  days  before 
the  news  was  published  abroad,  that  he  did  not  intend 
to  stand  for  the  professorship,  thereby  allowing  Green 
to  anticipate  Rooke  in  applying  for  the  Trinity  vote^; 
and  the  Master  of  St  John's  expressed  the  belief  that 
Green  was  well  thought  of  in  Trinity^.  Nevertheless 
Dr  Smith  and  his  two  senior  Fellows  kept  their  own 
counsel;  and  the  issue  remained  uncertain  until  the  eve 
of  Christmas  when  it  was  announced  that  the  Master 
of  Christ's  had  withdrawn  from  the  contest^.  Dr  Rooke's 
example  was  quickly  followed  by  Rutherforth  who  must 
have  known  from  the  first  that  he  was  engaged  upon  a 
forlorn  hope^;  and  in  due  course  Green,  the  only  sur- 
viving candidate,  was  elected  to  the  Regius  Professorship. 
Dr  Rooke's  sudden  retreat  is  somewhat  inexplicable. 
In  a  formal  letter  to  the  Duke  he  explained  that  he 
had  been  over-persuaded  by  his  friends  to  stand,  and 
that  on  finding  that  'the  publick  voice  rather  allotted 
this  province  to  a  person  in  all  respects  equal  to  it, 

^  There  was  bitter  rivalry  between  Trinity  and  St  John's  in  the 
eighteenth  century. 

2  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  470.       3  ;^jj_  jvis.  32717,  f.  497. 
*  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  530.       5  ^jj_  ;^s.  32717,  f.  470. 


1 88    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

Mr  Green  of  St  John's  College,  I  made  no  hesitation 
in  conforming  to  this  opinion,  and  with  much  more 
readiness  do  now  decline  than  I  at  first  sollicited  this 
office^.'  This  profession  of  deference  to  public  opinion 
smacks  somewhat  of  unreality;  and  it  may  be  that  the 
Master  of  Christ's  was  influenced  by  less  avowable 
motives.  It  is  possible  that  he  either  surmised  or  knew 
that  the  Trinity  electors  were  going  to  vote  for  Green; 
but  it  seems  unlikely  that  he  would  take  a  final  decision 
upon  mere  surmise,  and  there  is  nothing  to  suggest 
that  anyone  knew  for  certain,  not  even  perhaps  the 
Trinity  electors  themselves,  which  way  their  votes 
would  be  cast.  There  is  no  doubt  however  that 
Dr  Rooke  knew  that  Green  was  under  the  patronage 
of  Lord  Hardwicke  who  was  anxious  for  his  success^; 
and,  as  it  was  common  knowledge  that  Hardwicke  and 
Newcastle  were  knit  together  in  the  closest  bonds  of 
friendship,  no  great  insight  was  needed  to  perceive  that, 
though  Newcastle  might  refuse  to  express  a  preference, 
he  was  probably  anxious  that  Lord  Hardwicke's  candi- 
date should  be  successful.  It  is  therefore  possible  that 
Rooke,  understanding  that  his  success  was  at  least  un- 
certain and  not  really  desired  by  the  Duke,  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  his  most  politic  course  would  be  to 
retire  with  a  magnanimous  gesture;  and,  at  the  cost  of 
relinquishing  all  hope  of  the  professorship,  establish  a 
claim  upon  Newcastle's  gratitude.  There  is  nothing  in- 
herently improbable  in  such  a  theory;  and  it  was 
certainly  believed  at  the  time  that  the  Master  of  Christ's 
had  been  influenced  by  other  considerations  than  the 
welfare  of  the  university  and  the  advancement  of 
learning. 

1  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  546. 

^  In  a  letter  to  Newcastle  of  December  1 6th,  1 748,  the  Vice-Chancellor 
remarked  of  Green  that  'the  interest  of  my  Lord  Chancellor  would  be 
employed  in  his  behalf.'  Add.  MS.  32717,  f.  462. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    189 

'Dr  Rooke'  wrote  a  contemporary  'made  interest  and 
secured  such  a  number  of  votes  that  Green  could  not  obtain  it 
without  making  interest  above  to  get  a  promise  made  to  Rooke 
that  pleased  him  as  well  as  the  professorship,  for  which  he  is 
not  fit^' 

We  are  not  told  with  whom  the  interest  was  made,  but 
the  reference  is  almost  certainly  to  Hardwicke  and  in- 
directly to  Newcastle;  and  though  no  details  are  given 
of  the  'premise,'  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  Pre- 
bendaryship  of  Lincoln,  given  to  Rooke  in  1751, 
was  a  consolation  prize  for  the  professorship  he  had 
lost.  If  this  be  the  true  story  of  how  Green  came  to  be 
Regius  Professor  of  Divinity,  it  is  clear  that  Newcastle 
exercised  an  indirect  but  very  potent  influence  over  the 
course  of  affairs,  and  that  much  happened  behind  the 
scenes  at  which  we  can  only  guess.  But  even  if  there 
was  no  reason  to  think  that  the  withdrawal  of  the 
Master  of  Christ's  was  not  quite  so  spontaneous  as  he 
represented  it  to  be,  it  is  obvious  that  the  Duke's 
wishes  were  very  carefully  considered.  If  the  electors 
had  been  solely  influenced  by  the  merits  of  the  candi- 
dates, it  is  probable  that  the  prize  would  have  gone  to 
Rutherforth  who  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  remark- 
ably good  scholar^,  and  in  after  years  was  described  as 
'the  great  and  unrivalled  ornament  of  the  divinity 
scholes^. '  Yet,  because  he  was  known  to  be  an  enemy 
of  the  Chancellor,  his  claims  were  disregarded,  and  not 
a  single  elector  was  prepared  to  vote  for  him. 

The  lesson  was  not  thrown  away  upon  Rutherforth 
who  quickly  saw  that  something  more  was  needed  for 
advancement  in  the  university  than,  a  reputation  for 
learning,  and  that,  unless  he  repented  and  sought  forgive- 
ness, his  ambition  would  remain  unsatisfied.  Through 

^  Memoirs  of  a  Royal  Chaplain,  p.  158. 

2  Anecdotes  of  the  Life  of  Bishop  Watson,  p.  5. 

2  Admissions  to  St  John's  College,  Part  III,  p.  396. 


190    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

the  good  offices  of  Dr  Keene  he  was  reconciled  with 
the  Chancellor,  and  it  is  said  that  he  was  encouraged 
in  the  hope  of  becoming  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity 
if  ever  Green  was  promoted  to  a  higher  dignity^.  It  is 
not  at  all  unlikely  that  some  such  prospect  was  held 
out  to  him,  for  Newcastle  was  always  ready  to  forgive 
the  repentant  sinner;  but  Rutherforth  was  not  particular 
as  to  the  exact  professorship,  and  when  in  July  1756  it 
was  falsely  reported  that  Dr  Long,  Master  of  Pembroke 
and  Lowndean  Professor  of  Astronomy,  was  either  dead 
or  dying,  he  was  quick  in  applying  to  the  Duke. 

'The  notice  that  your  Grace  has  been  pleased  to  take  of  me' 
he  wrote  'encourages  me  to  request  the  favour  of  your  interest, 
if  it  is  not  already  engaged  to  any  other  person,  to  succeed  to 
Lowndes'  professorship  in  your  Grace's  university.... I  have  no 
other  pretentions  to  ask  for  such  a  favour  besides  your  Grace's 
great  humanity,  and  the  assurance,  which  I  beg  leave  to  give 
you,  of  my  sincere  attachment  to  His  Majesty's  person  and 
government,  and  of  a  steady  regard  for  your  Grace  and  for  the 
interest  of  your  friends^.' 

These  loyal  professions  were  thrown  away  as  Dr  Long 
lived  and  enjoyed  his  professorship  for  another  fourteen 
years;  but  Rutherforth  was  not  long  kept  waiting  for 
an  opportunity  of  testing  the  sincerity  of  the  Duke's 
friendship.  Two  months  later  Dr  George,  Provost  of 
King's,  died;  and  as  it  was  common  knowledge  that 
Green,  who  in  the  interval  had  become  Master  of 
Corpus,  would  receive  the  Deanery  of  Lincoln,  vacated 
by  the  Provost's  death,  and  resign  the  Regius  Professor- 
ship of  Divinity,  Rutherforth  once  more  appealed  to 
the  Duke  for  his  assistance  and  protection^. 

^  Memoirs  of  a  Royal  Chaplain,  p.  271. 

2  Add.  MS.  32866,  f.  308.  In  1748  Rutherforth  had  pubhshed  a 
two  volume  work  entitled  A  System  of  Natural  Philosophy,  being  a 
Course  of  Lectures  in  Mechanics,  Optics,  Hydrostatics  and  Astronomy, 
which  were  read  at  St  John's  College,  Cambridge. 

3  Add.  MS.  32867,  f.  444. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    191 

Nor  did  he  appeal  in  vain,  for  the  Duke  was  sincerely 
anxious  for  his  success  and  pledged  himself  to  support 
his  candidature.  He  intended  to  tread  warily  however 
and  was  not  prepared  to  allow  Rutherforth  to  use  his 
name  to  the  electors^.  As  on  the  previous  occasion  the 
uncertain  factor  was  the  Trinity  vote;  for  though  there 
was  no  candidate  from  that  college,  it  was  believed 
that  the  Trinity  electors  would  willingly  vote  for 
Dr  Law,  Master  of  Peterhouse,  if  he  could  be  persuaded 
to  stand.  As  Law  was  Vice-Chancellor  and  therefore 
himself  an  elector,  and  moreover  could  confidently 
count  upon  the  vote  of  his  old  friend,  Dr  Thomas, 
Master  of  Christ's,  it  was  within  his  power  to  secure 
the  professorship;  and  as  he  was  a  poor  man  with  a 
large  family,  he  was  undoubtedly  anxious  to  succeed 
Dr  Green^.  It  would  have  been  clearly  very  unwise  for 
Newcastle  to  intervene  and  impose  a  veto  upon  Law's 
candidature;  but  Dr  Keene,  who  had  preceded  Law  in 
the  Mastership  of  Peterhouse,  and  was  aware  that 
Newcastle  intended  Rutherforth  to  be  Regius  Professor, 
was  equal  to  the  emergency. 

'As  soon  as  it  appeared'  he  wrote  to  the  Duke  on  October 
6th  'that  Dr  Green  was  secure  of  the  Deanery  of  Lincoln  and 
was  disposed  to  resign  the  divinity  chair,  I  wrote  to  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  that  Dr  Rutherforth  would  be  a  candidate,  and  that 
I  hoped  he  would  receive  him  as  a  friend  of  the  Duke  of  New- 
castle and  of  mine.  This  he  has  done  already  in  a  handsome 
manner,  though  the  expectations  of  many  of  the  university,  and 
of  some  of  great  weight  in  the  election,  were  in  his  favour  if  he 
had  offered  himself.  This  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  as  his  char- 
acter and  behaviour  have  already  rendered  him  very  acceptable 
to  the  body  of  that  place.  It  is  impossible  to  judge  what  part  the 
Trinity  people  will  take,  or  what  the  event  may  be;  but  it  appears 
plain  that  if  Dr  Law  had  declared  himself  he  would  stand  the 
best  chance  of  having  the  Trinity  votes  if  they  have  not  a  candi- 

1  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  20,  f.  76. 

2  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  106;  Memoirs  of  a  Royal  Chaplain,  p.  271. 


192    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

date  of  their  own.  In  that  case  I  hope  it  will  appear  to  His 
Grace  a  matter  of  great  self-denial  for  a  man  of  his  character, 
with  a  family  of  nine  children,  to  renounce  his  pretentions  to 
prospects  of  so  advantageous  a  preferment,  out  of  deference  to 
the  prior  inclinations  of  His  Grace  to  Dr  Rutherforth,  and  I 
persuade  myself  that  His  Grace  will  form  a  more  favourable 
sentiment  of  him  from  this  instance  of  his  conduct,  and  dispose 
him  to  support  him  in  any  future  openings  in  the  university, 
more  particularly  the  Margaret  Professorship^.' 

It  is  evident  from  this  letter  that  Dr  Keene  either 
told  or  plainly  hinted  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  that  he 
would  disoblige  Newcastle  by  standing  for  election; 
and  Law,  who  was  a  loyal  though  not  a  favoured  fol- 
lower of  the  Duke,  was  obedient  to  the  command.  No 
better  instance  could  be  given  of  the  influence  which 
Newcastle  exercised  over  professorial  elections  without 
appearing  to  take  any  part  at  all  in  them.  Yet  Ruther- 
forth's  success  was  not  made  certain  by  Law's  act  of 
self  denial.  The  Chancellor  was  by  no  means  popular 
in  Trinity^,  and  it  was  not  at  all  improbable  that 
the  Master  and  the  senior  Fellows  of  that  college  would 
run  another  candidate  against  Rutherforth,  and  that 
Dr  Sumner,  the  newly  elected  Provost  of  King's,  who 
had  no  cause  to  love  Newcastle,  would  throw  in  his 
lot  with  the  opposition,  and  consequently  secure  for  the 
Trinity  candidate  the  four  votes  which  would  ensure 
his  election.  If  the  Trinity  electors  harboured  any  such 
design,  the  best  way  of  defeating  it  was  for  the  New- 
castle party  to  secure  the  Provost's  vote  for  Rutherforth; 
for  w.thout  the  Provost  Trinity  was  impotent,  the 
remaining  three  electors,  having  engaged  themselves 
to  vote  for  Newcastle's  candidate.  Consequently  the 
Provost  was  approached  by  Dr  Green,  but  for  some 
time  without  success.    Dr  Sumner  refused  to  commit 

1  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  106. 

2  Memoirs  of  a  Royal  Chaplain,  p.  271. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    193 

himself,  even  when  Green,  throwing  caution  to  the 
winds  in  the  beHef  that  a  desperate  situation  demanded 
desperate  remedies,  frankly  told  him  that  Rutherforth's 
candidature  was  favoured  by  the  Duke^. 

For  some  days  the  issue  remained  in  suspense,  and 
it  is  possible  that  the  Trinity  electors  were  trying  to 
find  a  candidate  to  oppose  to  Rutherforth.  If  this  was 
really  their  quest  they  failed  in  it :  for  about  the  middle 
of  October  Dr  Hooper  told  Green  that  he  was  prepared 
to  vote  for  Rutherforth,  and  hinted  that  the  Master  and 
the  other  senior  Fellow  would  probably  do  likewise^. 
Dr  Hooper's  vote  alone  however  made  Rutherforth 
certain  of  the  professorship :  and  when  towards  the  end 
of  the  month  the  Provost  of  King's  promised  to  support 
the  Duke's  candidate^,  the  announcement,  though  of 
interest  to  Newcastle  as  indicating  a  friendly  disposition 
on  the  Provost's  part,  was  of  small  importance  as  far 
as  the  election  went.  On  October  31st,  1756,  Ruther- 
forth was  elected  to  the  Regius  Professorship*,  and  by 
his  subsequent  conduct  acknowledged  his  debt  to  the 
Chancellor. 

It  is  clear  that  Newcastle  was  able  to  exercise  con- 
siderable influence  in  these  professorial  elections:  but 
it  is  equally  clear  that  he  was  cautious  in  using  the 
power  he  possessed,  and  that,  though  prepared  to  inter- 
vene in  order  to  defeat  an  enemy  or  keep  a  promise  to 
a  friend,  he  was  always  particularly  careful  to  remain 
in  the  background,  and  to  refrain  as  far  as  possible  from 

1  'The  Provost'  wrote  Green  'asked  me  among  other  things  whether 
Dr  Rutherforth's  election  into  the  Professor's  office  would  be  agreeable 
to  your  Grace.  I  told  him  Your  Grace,  I  believed,  was  cautious  of 
having  your  name  made  use  of  on  this  occasion,  but  as  he  thought 
proper  to  enquire  particularly  into  that  matter,  I  had  great  reason  to 
suppose  that  it  would  be  agreeable  to  your  Grace.'  Add.  MS.  32868, 
f.  370. 

2  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  370.     3  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  464. 
*  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  509. 


13 


194    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

openly  expressing  a  preference  for  any  one  particular 
candidate.  When  not  compelled  by  reasons  of  policy 
to  take  a  side  in  these  contests,  he  apparently  left  the 
decision  to  the  electors :  and  it  would  be  to  wrong  him 
to  believe  that  he  systematically  used  the  professorships 
of  the  university  as  prizes  for  good  conduct.  He  was 
often  content,  and  probably  preferred,  to  hold  his  hand 
and  leave  the  decision  to  the  experts:  and  though  he 
may  have  assisted  Green,  and  certainly  assisted  Ruther- 
forth,  both  these  candidates  had  claims  upon  him  which 
he  could  not  afford  to  neglect.  His  attitude  was  very 
different,  and  possibly  more  typical,  when  the  Lucasian 
professorship  of  mathematics  was  vacated  in  1759  by 
the  death  of  John  Colson.  On  the  day  Colson  died, 
Edward  Waring,  a  junior  Fellow  of  Magdalene,  com- 
municated to  Newcastle  his  intention  of  being  a  candi- 
date forthe  professorship,  and  petitioned  for  his  *  Grace's 
favour  and  protection  upon  this  occasion^.'  Though 
only  twenty-five  years  old,  and  not  even  of  sufficient 
standing  to  take  his  master  of  arts  degree,  Waring 
had  gained  a  great  reputation  in  the  university  as  a 
mathematician,  and  was  already  engaged  upon  his 
Miscellania  Analytica  which  was  to  make  his  name 
famous  throughout  Europe.  At  the  time  of  Colson's 
death,  however,  he  was  only  known  as  a  young  man 
of  great  promise,  and  in  the  eighteenth  century  the 
dignity  of  age  was  more  highly  appreciated  than  the 
vigour  of  youth.  All  the  Heads  of  Houses  were  electors 
to  the  professorship,  and  as  Waring  required  a  master 
of  arts  degree  by  royal  mandate,  in  order  to  qualify  as 
a  candidate,  it  was  within  the  power  of  the  Heads  not 
only  not  to  elect  him  but  to  prevent  him  from  even 
standing.  He  was  therefore  in  urgent  need  of  all  the 
assistance  he  could  obtain :  but  Newcastle  was  not  pre- 

^  Add.  MS.  32900,  f.  109. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    195 

pared  to  take  him  under  his  protection  without  due 
inquiry  into  his  merits. 

'I  have  the  favour  of  your  letter'  he  wrote  to  Dr  Caryl  'and 
send  you  enclosed  a  letter  w^hich  I  have  received  from  Mr 
Waring.  I  have  heard  a  very  good  character  of  him,  and  have 
not  had  any  application  from  any  other  person.  But  as  the 
Master  of  Trinity  is  from  his  superior  knowledge  in  the  science 
of  mathematicks  the  best  judge  of  the  qualifications  of  those 
who  either  wish  to  be,  or  we  should  wish  to  have,  our  professor, 
I  must  beg  that  you  would  wait  upon  Dr  Smith  and  in  my  name 
desire  to  know  his  thoughts  who  would  be  the  most  proper 
person.  In  all  these  elections  I  have  no  other  view  but  to  promote 
the  interest  of  those  who  are  the  best  qualified.  This  is  for  the 
honour  of  the  university  which  is  and  ever  shall  be  my  principal 
object^.' 

Newcastle  was  wrong  in  believing  that  no  other  con- 
sideration but  the  intellectual  qualifications  of  the  candi- 
dates had  ever  weighed  with  him:  and  like  many  of 
us  he  suffered  from  the  delusion  that  his  ideal  was  his 
practice.  But  as  on  this  occasion  he  was  neither  fettered 
by  any  promise  nor  threatened  by  any  enemy,  he  could 
indulge  his  impartiality:  and  his  conduct  was  studiously 
correct.  Having  received  his  instructions  Dr  Caryl 
waited  upon  the  Master  of  Trinity  who  however  de- 
clined on  the  ground  of  propriety  to  suggest  the 
names  of  other  possible  candidates,  and  only  spoke  of 
Waring  with  very  tempered  enthusiasm. 

'Having  seen  part  of  the  book  which  Mr  Waring  is  going  to 
publish,'  reported  Caryl,  'he  says  that  Mr  Waring  shews  a  deal 
of  fire  and  some  invention,  but  seems  to  have  given  too  little 
attention  to  the  proper  manner  of  expressiiig  his  thoughts,  and  is 
therefore  sometimes  not  easy  to  be  understood.  This  however 
he  considers  as  a  fault  that  time  will  probably  correct,  and  as  the 
young  man  has  discovered  an  earnest  desire  to  excell,  it  is  likely 
that  he  will  improve  himself  into  a  degree  of  eminence  2.' 

1  Add.  MS.  32900,  f.  216.  2  ^j^j_  ]yjs.  32900,  f.  229. 

13—2 


196    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

This  was  damnation  with  faint  praise,  and  in  the  light 
of  what  happened  later,  it  seems  not  improbable  that 
Dr  Smith  was  anxious  for  his  friend,  Ludlam,  to  obtain 
the  professorship,  and  therefore  intentionally  depreciated 
Waring.  But  as,  for  the  time  being.  Waring  was  the 
only  candidate,  it  was  agreed  between  Newcastle  and  the 
Heads  that  he  should  receive  a  mandate  degree,  with  the 
clear  understanding  however  that  the  Heads  were  not 
thereby  committed  to  vote  for  his  election  as  professor^. 
Shortly  after  this  decision  had  been  taken,  two  other 
candidates  appeared,  William  Ludlam  and  Francis 
Maseres.  Ludlam  was  a  Fellow  of  St  John's  where  for 
many  years  he  had  been  a  lecturer  on  algebra  and  taken 
an  active  part  in  administering  the  affairs  of  the  college. 
He  was  considerably  senior  to  either  Waring  or  Maseres, 
and,  though  he  had  published  nothing  more  sub- 
stantial than  occasional  papers,  he  was  an  intimate  friend 
of  Dr  Smith  who  in  the  second  edition  of  his  Harmonics 
had  described  him  as  one  of  the  two  'most  ingenious 
and  learned  gentlemen  in  this  university.'  Maseres,  a 
far  younger  man,  after  being  a  Scholar  and  Fellow  of 
Clare  and  gaining  the  first  Chancellor's  classical  medaP, 
had  left  the  university  and  been  called  to  the  Bar.  He 
had  not  however  allowed  law  to  monopolise  his  atten- 
tion, and  in  1758  had  published  a  Disseriation  on  the 
Use  of  the  Negative  Sign  in  Algebra  with  a  dedication 
to  the  Duke  of  Newcastle.  As  a  mathematician  he  was 
certainly  inferior  to  either  Waring  or  Ludlam,  but  he 
was  believed  to  be  their  superior  in  general  ability^;  and 
doubtless  he  and  many  others  thought  that  as  a  Clare 
man  he  could  confidently  count  upon  Newcastle's 
support. 

1  Add.  MS.  32900,  f.  231,  f.  325;  Add.  MS.  32901,  f.  395. 

2  Maseres  gained  the  first  Chancellor's  medal  in  1752,  the  year  in 
which  those  prizes  were  instituted. 

3  Add.  MS.  32901,  f.  395. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    197 

Maseres  lost  no  time  In  appealing  to  the  Chancellor, 
and  both  he  and  Waring  personally  waited  upon  him^. 
Their  example  was  not  followed  by  Ludlam  who  possibly 
thought  the  assistance  of  the  Master  of  Trinity  suffi- 
cient; but  as  all  three  candidates  were  unobjectionable 
from  Newcastle's  point  of  view,  he  wisely  decided  not 
to  interfere,  even  indirectly,  and  to  leave  the  decision 
to  the  electors.  Thus  if  Maseres  thought  that  his  con- 
nection with  Clare  would  cover  his  shortcomings,  he 
was  disappointed:  and  it  soon  became  evident  that  his 
candidature  was  not  regarded  with  any  favour  in  the 
university,  and  that  his  chances  were  negligible.  The 
Lucasian  Professor  was  strictly  bound  to  residence,  and 
it  was  not  until  it  was  too  late  for  the  announcement  to 
exercise  any  influence  that  Maseres  made  perfectly  clear 
that  he  intended,  if  elected,  to  sacrifice  his  career  at  the 
Bar  and  reside  in  Cambridge^.  Ludlam  on  the  other 
hand  was  a  very  serious  competitor.  In  addition  to  the 
support  of  the  Master  of  Trinity,  whose  opinion  as  a 
mathematician  of  repute  would  have  considerable  weight 
with  the  other  electors^,  Ludlam  was  favoured  by  the 
Masters  of  Corpus  and  St  John's,  and  'several  more  of 
the  older  Heads*.'  Moreover  one  of  his  most  ardent 
champions  was  Dr  Powell,  Tutor  of  St  John's,  who 
published  anonymously  a  very  bitter  attack  upon  the 
first  chapter  of  the  Miscellania  Analytica  which  Waring 
had  circulated  'in  order  that  the  electors  and  the  uni- 

^  Add.  MS.  32900,  f.  339;  Add.  MS.  32901,  f.  395. 

2  On  January  21st,  1760,  the  Master  of  Corpus  wrote  of  Maseres 
that  'the  notion  of  his  design  to  follow  the  study  and  profession  of  the 
law,  which  seems  incompatible  with  the  strict  residence  that  the  founder 
of  the  professorship  has  injoined,  makes  many  not  so  well  disposed  to 
assist  him  on  this  occasion,  however  well  they  may  think  of  his  talents'; 
and  after  the  election  the  Master  remarked  'Mr  Mazeres,  though  very 
able,  was  too  late  in  declaring  his  intention  to  reside  here.'  Add.  MS. 
32901,  f.  500. 

2  Add.  MS.  32901,  f.  500.  ^  Add.  MS.  32901,  f.  395. 


198    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

versity  at  large  might  judge  of  the  nature  of  his  pursuits 
and  his  qualifications  for  the  high  office  which  he 
solicited.^' 

Thus  the  fight  was  between  the  elderly  competent 
teacher  and  the  young  man  of  genius:  and,  though 
genius  prevailed,  the  victory  was  a  very  narrow  one. 

*I  beg  leave  to  take  this  early  opportunity  of  acquainting  your 
Grace'  reported  the  Master  of  Corpus  on  January  28th,  1760, 
'that  the  election  for  the  mathematical  professorship  came  on 
at  three  o'clock  this  afternoon  and  was  determined  in  favour  of 
Mr  Waring:  six  voted  for  him,  five  were  disposed  to  serve  Mr 
Ludlam,  and  the  other  Heads  were  absent  through  illness  or  by 
inclination.  It  was  conducted  very  amicably  and  without  the 
least  ill-will  on  any  side.  The  Master  of  Trinity  was  not  well 
enough  to  attend,  but  was  inclined,  as  far  as  he  chose  to  say 
anything,  to  favour  Mr  Ludlam^.' 

It  reflects  little  credit  upon  the  university  that 
Waring,  who  was  one  of  the  few  eminent  mathematicians 
produced  by  Cambridge  in  the  eighteenth  century, 
should  have  so  narrowly  escaped  defeat,  but  no  blame 
attaches  to  Newcastle  who  never  swerved  from  the  im- 
partial attitude  he  adopted  from  the  first.  It  is  fairly 
obvious  that  the  Duke,  partly  because  he  really  desired 
the  prosperity  of  the  university,  and  partly  because  he 
was  aware  of  the  danger  of  an  opposite  course,  pre- 
ferred, if  he  possibly  could,  to  leave  the  university  to 
elect  its  own  professors,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that 
he  should  not  have  been  over-willing  to  intervene. 
Throughout  his  Chancellorship  there  was  always  a 
party  in  Cambridge  which  was  anxious  to  seize  any 
favourable  opportunity  of  challenging  his  authority;  and 
he  could  render  this  party  no  greater  service  than  by 
affording  a  pretext  for  an  agitation  against  his  despotic 
power.    Experience  had   taught  him  that  though  the 

^  Baker's  History  of  St  Jo/ins  College  (edited  by  J.  E.  Mayor), 
II,  1069.  2  Add.  MS.  32901,  f.  500. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    199 

disaffected  were  normally  few  in  number,  they  con- 
stituted a  nucleus  of  a  formidable  agitation,  and  that 
there  were  very  definite  limits  to  the  influence  he  could 
safely  exercise. 

In  the  early  days  of  his  Chancellorship,  indeed,  he 
had  been  confronted  with  a  revolt  which  for  many 
months  occupied  his  attention  and  distracted  the  uni- 
versity. The  original  cause  of  the  disturbance  was  the 
question,  which  age  has  not  withered  nor  custom  staled, 
of  university  reform.  Early  in  the  year  1749  certain 
members  of  the  government,  seriously  alarmed  by  the 
prevalence  of  Jacobite  sentiments  at  Oxford,  began  to 
consider  the  establishment  of  a  commission  of  enquiry 
into  that  university^;  and  though,  on  hearing  of  this 
proposal,  Newcastle  was  careful  to  emphasise  that,  in 
contrast  with  Oxford,  Cambridge  was  distinguished  by 
its  loyalty  to  the  crown^,  he  was  probably  well  aware 
that  the  discipline  in  his  university  was  very  far  from 
satisfactory,  and  that,  however  correct  its  politics,  it 
needed  over-hauling  quite  as  much  as  Oxford^.  He 
further  must  have  seen  that  an  enquiry  begun  at  one 
university  might  easily  be  extended  to  the  other;  and 
it  is  therefore  not  unlikely  that  he  deemed  it  advis- 
able to  anticipate  the  action  of  the  ministry  and  to  hint 
to  the  Vice-Chancellor,  Dr  Chapman,  that,  as  the 
government  was  preparing  to  take  action  against 
Oxford,  it  would  be  well  for  Cambridge  to  set  its  house 
in  order.  But  whether  or  not  it  was  the  Chancellor  who 
gave  the  signal,  it  is  certain  that  in  March  1749  the 
Vice-Chancellor  and  Heads,  with  the  Duke's  approval, 
were  busily  engaged  'in  drawing  up  several  necessary 

1  Add.  MS.  32718,  f.  29.  -  Add.  MS.  32718,  f.  31. 

^  In  a  pamphlet  attributed  to  Dr  Green  it  is  stated  that  in  1749 
more  than  twenty  members  of  the  university  were  'sentenced  to  an 
entire  or  temporary  banishment.'  See  Considerations  on  the  expediency 
of  making  and  the  manner  of  conducting  the  late  Regulations  at  Cambridge. 


200    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

regulations  for  restoring  good  order  and  discipline  in 
the  university^';  but  they  were  not  allowed  to  perform 
their  task  unaided.  The  Duke,  assisted  by  Herring, 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who  had  been  a  Fellow  and 
Tutor  of  Corpus,  and  Sherlock,  Bishop  of  London,  who 
had  been  Master  of  St  Catharine's,  revised  and  amended 
the  regulations  proposed  by  the  Heads;  and,  though  it 
is  difficult  to  apportion  the  labour,  there  is  no  doubt 
that  Newcastle  and  the  two  Bishops  played  an  active 
part,  and  that  the  regulations  in  their  final  form  were 
very  far  from  being  the  exclusive  work  of  the  Heads^. 

Progress  could  not  be  otherwise  than  slow  in  the 
circumstances,  and  tardiness  was  not  the  only  or  the 
most  serious  objection  to  the  method  of  procedure 
adopted.  It  soon  became  known  in  Cambridge  that 
something  was  on  foot,  and  considerable  resentment 
was  caused  by  what  was  thought  to  be  an  attempt  on 
the  part  of  the  Chancellor  and  the  Heads  to  dictate  to 
the  university.  It  was  contended  that  inasmuch  as  any 
regulations  framed  must  be  passed  by  the  Senate,  a 
committee  of  that  body  should  have  been  constituted 
to  assist  in  drafting  them^,  and  that  in  matters  of  disci- 
pline Tutors  and  Deans  were  far  better  qualified  to 
express  an  opinion  than  Heads  of  Houses  reposing  on 
Olympian  heights.  There  was  much  substance  in  these 
objections,  and  Newcastle  and  the  Heads  were  guilty 
of  a  bad  error  of  judgment.  They  fell  under  the  delusion, 
common  to  reformers,  that  mankind  willingly  submits 
to  improvement,  and  for  months  they  continued  their 
labours  without  taking  public  opinion  into  account.  By 
the  spring  of  1750  their  task  was  completed,  and  pro- 
bably any  impartial  critic  would  have  admitted  that  the 

1  Add.  MS.  32718,  f.  117. 

2  Add.  MS.  32718,  f.  117,  f.  119;  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  12. 

^  An  occasional  letter  to  the  Rev.  Dr  Keene,  attributed  to  Peter 
Chester,  Fellow  of  St  Catharine's. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    201 

code  they  had  framed  was  on  the  whole  a  praiseworthy 
achievement.  It  appHed  for  the  most  part  to  persons  in 
statu  pupillari,  and  cannot  be  described  as  particularly 
drastic.  Valid  objection  might  be  taken  to  the  articles 
which  enforced  the  keeping  of  the  whole  term  and  the 
transmission  to  the  Chancellor  of  the  names  of  offenders 
against  the  new  regulations^;  but  for  the  most  part  only 
a  reasonable  degree  of  discipline  was  enforced.  Under- 
graduates and  bachelor  of  arts  were  forbidden  to  be 
out  of  college  after  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  to  keep  a 
servant  or  a  horse  without  permission,  to  frequent 
coffee-houses  or  places  of  amusement  in  the  morning, 
or  to  dice  and  play  cards  in  taverns;  and  they  were 
further  commanded  to  hear  sermons  at  St  Mary's 
church,  and  to  refrain  from  rioting  and  extravagance 
in  dress.  Various  penalties,  ranging  from  the  payment 
of  a  fine  to  expulsion  from  the  university,  were  imposed 
for  violations  of  these  regulations,  and  the  Chancellor 
and  the  Heads  doubtless  believed  that  their  reasonable 
attempt  to  reform  the  lax  and  ineffective  discipline  of 
the  university  would  receive  a  warm  welcome^. 

Academic  politicians  however  are  very  human;  and 
are  quite  as  liable  as  the  ordinary  uneducated  man  to 
be  swayed  by  passion  more  than  by  reason.  The  new 
code  was  not  judged  on  its  merits  but  condemned  by 
its  origin.  It  was  construed  as  an  attempt  at  arbitrary 
government;  and  there  was  a  widespread  feeling  that 
if  the  Senate  tamely  submitted  and  passed  the  regula- 
tions, a  dangerous  and  most  unfortunate  precedent 
would  be  established.  The  mainstay  of  this  opposition 
were  doubtless  certain  lovers  of  faction  who  liked  nothing 
m.ore  than  a  fight,  and  certain  hide-bound  tories  who  dis- 
liked nothingmore  than  reform;  but  associated  with  these 

1  The  Heads  were  not  responsible  for  the  regulation  that  the  Chan- 
cellor should  be  sent  the  names  of  offenders.  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  16. 
^  Cooper's  Annals  of  Cambridge,  iv,  278-280. 


202    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

malcontents  were  many  honest  and  sagacious  men  who 
were  not  prepared  to  purchase  the  reform  of  the  uni- 
versity by  the  sacrifice  of  its  liberty.  Confronted  with  an 
opposition  which  was  too  respectable  and  too  dangerous 
to  be  regarded  with  contempt,  and  fearful  of  what  might 
happen  when  the  regulations  were  submitted  to  the 
Senate,  Dr  Keene,  the  Vice-Chancellor,  thought  to  re- 
pair the  original  blunder  by  consulting  'with  some 
leading  men  in  each  college,  with  a  view  to  take  off  a 
popular  objection  that  had  been  made  against  us  for 
not  having  consulted  some  of  the  body^';  but  the 
remedy  was  applied  too  late  to  be  effective. 

On  May  5th,  1750,  the  regulations  were  brought 
before  the  Senate,  and  it  had  previously  been  arranged 
between  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  the  Heads  that  the 
proceedings  should  begin  with  the  reading  of  a  letter 
from  the  Chancellor,  that  the  regulations  should  then 
be  passed  by  the  Caput  and  given  a  first  reading  in  the 
two  houses;  and  that,  before  they  were  voted  upon  at  a 
later  congregation,  they  should  be  sent  'to  each  college 
for  their  consideration^.'  The  Chancellor's  letter  was 
duly  read;  and,  though  couched  in  a  somewhat  dicta- 
torial tone,  no  objection  was  taken  to  it^.    But  when 

1  Add.  MS.  32720,  f.  383.  2  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  16. 

^  Newcastle's  letter  to  the  university,  which  was  dated  April  26th, 
1750,  ran  as  follows.  'The  situation  I  am  in  gives  me  the  frequent 
opportunities  of  hearing  the  sentiments  of  others  on  the  state  of  our 
university;  and  although  many  things  alledged  against  us  are  without 
foundation,  and  others  greatly  aggravated  and  misrepresented,  and  much 
may  be  said  in  some  sort  of  excuse  for  what  is  really  true  from  the 
general  depravity  of  manners  that  too  much  prevail  everywhere,  yet 
the  most  sanguine  of  our  friends  cannot  be  so  far  prejudiced  in  our 
favour  as  to  think  that  there  is  no  want  of  reformation  or  further  restraint 
amongst  us.  The  corruption  of  the  times  will  account  for  the  inroad 
that  luxury  has  made  into  places  where  temperance  and  frugality  ought 
chiefly  to  reside,  and  will  discourage  in  some  degree,  but  ought  not  to 
prevent,  our  endeavours  to  prevent  its  increase.  .  .  .To  accomplish  so 
desirable  an  end  much  time  and  deliberation  is  required;  but  that  we 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    203 

Dr  Keene  began  to  read  the  regulations  to  the  Caput, 
a  member  of  that  body  suggested  that  before  they  were 
read,  and  consequently  passed  or  rejected,  the  Caput 
should  be  allowed  to  consider  them  at  their  leisure. 
Such  a  proposal  was  revolutionary  and  against  all 
custom  and  tradition,  but  it  nevertheless  found  con- 
siderable support. 

'You  will  imagine'  wrote  Dr  Rooke  'that  as  this  was  con- 
trary to  the  constant  method  of  proceeding  and  indeed  imprac- 
ticable, (as  it  is  seldom  known  who  are  to  make  the  Caput  till 
they  are  actually  called  up  for  that  purpose,)  the  Vice-Chan- 

cellor  and   I  did  not  fail  to  put  them  in  mind  of  this But 

notwithstanding  all  that  could  be  said  (which  was  put  with  the 
utmost  temper)  the  above  gentlemen  continued  to  wish  and 
desire  that  they  might  not  be  read  till  another  day,  and  they,  as 
well  as  the  rest  of  the  body,  have  time  to  consider  of  them.  To 
which  the  Vice-Chancellor  was  at  last  forced  to  consent,  from 
an  apprehension  that,  if  they  had  been  then  published,  they 
might  have  been  in  the  first  instance  and  out  of  hand  rejected, 
and  accordingly  put  it  off  till  next  Friday.  You  may  imagine 
that  this  has  thrown  us  into  some  little  hurry,  and  we  are  not 
without  fears  that  an  obstruction,  though  perhaps  not  ill- 
designed  in  the  beginning,  started  in  this  manner  may  encourage 
a  more  general  opposition^.' 

This  was  a  very  ominous  beginning,  and  Dr  Rooke's 

might  make  some  progress  towards  it,  I  have  recommended  it  to  those, 
whose  experience  and  constant  residence  in  the  university  have  rendered 
them  proper  judges  of  the  state  of  discipline  amongst  you,  to  specify 
such  particular  irregularities  as  call  for  a  more  immediate  attention  and 
to  point  out  the  best  method  of  correcting  and  suppressing  them.  Those 
observations  have  since  been  sent  to  me  which  (after  being  revised  and 
fully  considered  by  the  Archbishop  and  Bishop  who  have  been  bred 
up  amongst  us,  and  after  being  digested  under  the  form  of  regulations,) 
I  herewith  transmit  to  you  for  your  approbation,  that  they  may  have 
all  the  force  necessary  for  obtaining  their  just  effect.'  Add.  MS.  35657, 
f.  1 4.  Newcastle's  language  rather  implied  that  the  Senate  must  obediently 
approve  what  he  and  the  Heads  had  agreed  upon,  and  the  letter  was 
not  likely  to  remove  the  grievance  of  the  opposition. 

1  Add.  MS.  35657,  f  16;  see  also  Add.  MS.  32720,  f.  383. 


204    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

fears  were  fully  justified.  The  action  of  the  Caput,  in 
demanding  that  they  should  be  allowed  time  to  consider 
the  regulations  before  voting  upon  them,  was  a  very 
thinly  veiled  protest  against  the  method  of  procedure 
adopted  by  the  Chancellor  and  Heads,  and  in  that  lay 
its  significance.  A  crisis  was  clearly  at  hand  and  it  was 
impossible  to  foretell  the  course  of  events.  The  first 
reading  of  the  regulations  having  been  postponed  to 
Friday,  May  nth,  it  was  arranged  that  the  second 
reading  should  be  taken  at  a  congregation  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  same  day;  and  in  the  short  time  at  his 
disposal  Dr  Keene  made  a  valiant  attempt  to  stem  the 
rising  tide  of  hostility.  Perceiving  that  the  opposition 
included  a  certain  number  of  moderate  men  who  sin- 
cerely believed  that  it  was  their  duty  to  resist  what  they 
deemed  to  be  tyranny,  he  decided  to  attempt  to  detach 
them  from  the  extremists  in  the  party  by  making  a 
display  of  deference  to  public  opinion.  With  this  end 
in  view  he  dropped  the  two  regulations  which  ordered 
the  full  term  to  be  kept  and  the  names  of  offenders  to 
be  sent  to  the  Chancellor^;  and  hoped  that  by  a  sacrifice 
of  the  articles,  to  which  most  objection  had  been  taken, 
he  had  saved  the  rest. 

The  opening  proceedings  at  the  morning  congrega- 
tion on  Friday,  May  i  ith,  breathed  peace  and  goodwill, 
and  encouraged  the  hope  of  a  happy  issue.  Before 
beginning  the  business  of  the  day,  the  Vice-Chancellor 
summoned  the  two  houses  before  him,  and  delivered  a 
short  speech  in  which  he  explained  that  he  intended 
to  omit  certain  regulations  which  had  been  adversely 
criticised,  and  was  so  well  aware  of  the  imperfect 
character  of  what  remained  that  he  was  willing  to  con- 
sider any  suggestions  for  their  improvement.  The  regu- 
lations were  then  passed  by  the  Caput  and  read  for  the 
first  time  in  the  two  houses;  and  such  a  favourable  im- 
1  Add.  MS.  32720,  f.  383. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    205 

presslon  had  been  created  by  the  Vice-Chancellor's 
address  that  it  was  generally  believed  that  opposition 
was  at  an  end,  and  that  the  regulations  would  be  passed 
at  the  congregation  in  the  afternoon.  This  interpreta- 
tion of  the  situation  proved  too  optimistic,  for  the  ex- 
tremists were  not  to  be  so  easily  outmanoeuvred.  They 
realised  that  by  his  policy  of  conciliation  Dr  Keene  had 
deprived  them  of  a  considerable  measure  of  moderate 
support  and  materially  diminished  their  chances  of 
success,  and  that  their  only  hope  lay  in  revealing  the 
Vice-Chancellor  and  Heads  as  the  implacable  enemies 
to  the  liberties  of  the  university,  and  thereby  re- 
uniting the  opposition.  Therefore,  before  the  morning 
congregation  came  to  an  end,  Jonathan  Lipyeatt^,  of 
St  John's,  a  member  of  the  opposition,  brought  forward 
a  Grace  which  provided  that  in  all  cases  where  penalties 
were  incurred  by  a  breach  of  the  regulations  the 
offender  should  have  a  right  of  appeal  from  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  to  the  Senate.  Lipyeatt  urged  that  this 
Grace,  if  passed,  would  remove  the  objections  felt  by 
him  and  his  friends  to  the  regulations,  v/hich  would 
therefore  be  approved  without  opposition;  and  he  seems 
to  have  been  at  some  pains  to  pose  as  an  honest  man 
sincerely  anxious  for  a  compromise^. 

It  was  however  only  a  pose,  for  it  is  not  uncharitable 
to  believe  that  he  desired  to  fan  opposition  once  more 
to  fever  height,  and  to  wreck  the  Vice-Chancellor's 
attempt  at  conciliation.  If  a  right  of  appeal  was  allowed, 
the  regulations  would  become  unworkable  and  disci- 
pline in  the  university  be  still  further  undermined; 
and  yet,  absurd  as  was  this  Grace,  it  was  admirably 
designed  to  attain  its  promoter's  purpose.  For  some 
years  an  angry  dispute  had  raged  in  the  university 
whether  doctors  and  masters  of  arts,   convicted  of  a 

■'•  This  name  is  also  given  as  Lyppeat  and  Lypeat. 
2  Add.  MS.  32720,  f.  383;  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  16. 


2o6    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

disciplinary  offence  in  the  Vice-Chancellor's  court, 
could  claim  the  right  to  appeal  to  delegates  appointed 
by  the  university,  which  they  certainly  had  in  cases 
other  than  disciplinary;  and,  as  was  perhaps  inevitable 
in  the  circumstances,  the  controversy  tended  to  become 
a  struggle  between  the  Heads  and  the  rest  of  the 
university.  The  popular  cry  that  liberty  was  being 
destroyed  by  a  self-appointed  oligarchy  was  used  with 
effect,  and  the  right  of  appeal  was  claimed  not  so  much 
as  of  value  in  itself  but  as  an  emblem  of  freedom  and 
independence^.  The  sting  of  Lipyeatt's  Grace  therefore 
lay  in  reviving  the  embers  of  an  ancient  controversy; 
and  the  Vice-Chancellor  was  driven  between  the  horns 
of  a  dilemma.  He  believed  that  if  he  allowed  the  Grace 
to  pass,  it  would  be  useless  to  proceed  with  the  regula- 
tions, and  he  knew  if  he  arranged  for  the  Grace  to  be 
rejected  by  the  Caput,  Lipyeatt  and  his  friends,  pur- 
posely confusing  the  issue,  would  persuade  the  regents 
and  non-regents  that,  despite  a  show  of  conciliation, 
the  Heads  were  intent  as  ever  upon  creating  a  despotism, 
and  determined  as  ever  to  limit  the  right  of  appeal; 
and  that,  therefore,  just  as  in  the  days  when  the  liberty 
of  the  nation  was  at  stake,  the  house  of  commons  had 
refused  to  vote  supplies  until  grievances  had  been  re- 
dressed, the  Senate  must  refuse  to  approve  the  regula- 
tions until  the  right  of  appeal  in  its  full  extent  had  been 
secured. 

Somewhat  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  do,  the  Vice- 
Chancellor,  instead  of  at  once  submitting  the  Grace 

1  The  controversy  was  mainly  concerned  with  the  proper  interpreta- 
tion of  the  42nd  and  the  48th  statutes  of  the  Elizabethan  code.  The 
right  of  appeal  was  specially  provided  for  by  the  48th  statute  but  not 
mentioned  in  the  42nd;  and  those  who  maintained  that  there  was  no 
appeal  in  disciplinary  cases  supported  their  contention  with  the  argu- 
ment that  the  48th  statute  was  exclusively  concerned  with  the  non- 
disciplinary  jurisdiction  of  the  Vice-Chancellor. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY    207 

to  the  Caput,  put  it  in  his  pocket  and  dissolved  the 
congregation.  This  was  an  unusual  procedure  and  cal- 
culated to  arouse  antagonism  by  making  it  impossible 
for  the  Grace  to  be  finally  passed  with  the  regulations 
at  the  afternoon  congregation.  The  delay  was  unfor- 
tunate; and  although  Dr  Keene  probably  felt  that  he 
needed  time  to  consider  his  policy  and  consult  his 
friends,  it  can  be  urged  that,  as  there  was  really  no 
alternative  to  the  rejection  of  the  Grace  by  the  Caput, 
it  might  have  been  better  if  this  step  had  been  taken 
at  the  morning  congregation,  and  time  allowed  for  the 
resulting  animosity  to  cool  before  the  regulations  were 
voted  upon.  It  is  unlikely  however  that  anything  that 
Dr  Keene  might  have  done  could  have  saved  the  situa- 
tion; and  there  was  really  nothing  left  for  him  but  to 
meet  his  fate  with  becoming  dignity.  At  an  early  stage 
in  the  afternoon  congregation  Lipyeatt's  Grace  was 
submitted  to  the  Caput  and  vetoed  by  the  Master  of 
Caius.  The  expected  followed.  Men,  reasonable  enough 
in  ordinary  circumstances,  fell  a  prey  to  the  extremists 
who  convinced  them  that  'the  liberties  of  the  univer- 
sity were  in  danger  and  the  Heads  were  aiming  at  new 
powers  in  these  regulations^';  and  though  there  was 
little  or  no  justification  for  such  an  accusation,  it  was 
accepted  as  true  in  the  excitement  of  the  moment. 

'It  proved  as  we  apprehended'  wrote  Dr  Rooke  'that  upon 
a  pretext  of  the  above  mentioned  Grace  not  being  read  in  the 
morning,  and  being  read  but  stopt  in  the  Caput  in  the  afternoon, 
they  fought  through  every  one  of  the  regulations  and  stopt  just 
halfofthem^.' 

It  was  a  notable  victory  and  the  Vice-Chancellor  had 
been  completely  outmanoeuvred.  The  disaffected  party 
had  only  allowed  the  less  important  regulations  to  pass; 
and  rejected  all  that  the  framers  of  the  code  considered 
most  valuable.  The  bitterness  of  defeat  was  moreover 
^  Add.  MS.  32720,  f.  383.  2  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  18. 


2o8    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

intensified  by  the  attack  having  been  inspired  by  a  dis- 
like of  the  power  of  the  Chancellor  and  the  Heads,  and 
supported  by  many  whom  it  was  impossible  to  accuse 
of  a  love  of  faction.  Though  the  Master  of  Christ's 
declared  that  the  tory  party  was  at  the  bottom  of  the 
mischief,  he  admitted  that  the  tories  'under  the  show 
of  guarding  against  oppression,  drew  in  many  honest, 
well  meaning  men  to  side  with  them^*;  and  both  Trinity 
and  King's  were  well  represented  in  the  opposition^. 
That  the  revolt  had  been  directed  against  the  Chancellor 
as  well  as  the  Heads  was  apparent;  for  though  Dr  Keene 
assured  Newcastle  that  'few,  very  few,  my  Lord, 
objected  to  them  on  account  of  your  Grace's  recom- 
mendation^' the  Duke  was  far  too  closely  identified  with 
the  regulations  to  escape  his  share  in  the  condemnation. 
He  had  co-operated  with  the  Heads  in  the  attempt  to 
improve  the  discipline  of  the  university,  and  had  ap- 
parently only  succeeded  in  providing  an  excuse  for  a 
revolt^. 

The  failure  indeed  was  too  complete  to  be  endured, 
and  the  defeated  party  was  united  in  a  determination 
to  continue  the  struggle.  It  is  possible  that  Newcastle, 
incensed  by  the  ingratitude  of  the  university,  was 
tempted  to  resort  to  the  last  weapon  in  the  arsenal  of 
academic  reformers  and  impose  the  regulations  upon 
the  university  by  act  of  parliament^;  but  he  wisely 
refrained  from  a  course  of  action  which  would  have 
diminished  his   popularity  in   the  university,  and  for 

1  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  18.  2  Add.  MS.  32720,  f.  383. 

^  Add.  MS.  32721,  f.  200. 

^  For  the  accounts  of  the  congregations  on  May  iith,  see  Add. 
MS.  35657,  f.  18;  Add.  MS.  32720,  f.  383. 

^  'I  would  however  submit  it  to  your  Grace's  consideration' wrote 
Lord  Dupplin  on  June  9th,  1750  'whether  you  will  not  give  them  one 
instance  more  of  your  paternal  affection  by  forbearing  to  do  any  act 
of  your  own  for  some  time,  and  thereby  leaving  them  full  room  for 
better  thoughts  and  amendments.'  Add.  MS.  32721,  f.  91. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY      209 

which  there  was  no  necessity.  It  was  perfectly  obvious 
that  the  Senate  had  acted  under  the  impulse  of  anger 
and  the  excitement  of  the  moment,  and  might  in  time 
be  converted  to  a  better  frame  of  mind.  This  policy 
of  appealing  from  a  Senate  drunk  to  a  Senate  sober 
commended  itself  to  Dr  Keene  who  pressed  to  be  allowed 
to  make  another  attempt  to  secure  the  passage  of  the 
rejected  regulations^.  Aware  however  that  a  second 
defeat  would  probably  be  final,  Keene  was  prepared  to 
bide  his  time  and  not  to  return  to  the  breach  until  he 
could  confidently  count  upon  success. 

'From  the  first  defeat'  he  informed  Newcastle  'I  have 
exerted  all  my  spirits  and  devoted  my  whole  time  to  secure  a 
second  attempt.  To  this  purpose  I  solicited  a  small  number  of 
trusty  friends,  such  as  the  new  Master  of  Benet^,  the  Master  of 
Magdalene^,  Mr  Garnet^  Courtail^,  Caryl,  and  Backhouse,  who 
gave  me  the  best  information  of  the  disposition  of  their  respective 
colleges^.' 

An  active  propaganda  was  thus  set  on  foot;  and  it  is 
possible  that  a  good  many  members  of  the  Senate  were 
reminded  that  their  chance  of  advancement  in  the 
church  was  not  independent  of  the  goodwill  of  the 
Chancellor.  But  it  did  not  prove  at  all  easy  to  win 
converts  in  sufficient  numbers;  and,  in  order  to  make 
more  certain  of  the  victory,  the  Vice-Chancellor  was 
obliged  to  make  important  changes  and  modifications  in 
the  regulations.  He  was  of  course  accused  of  having  con- 
ceded so  much  as  to  deprive  what  remained  of  any  value''; 
but  there  are  always  those  who  scent  weakness  in  every 
compromise;  and  as  the  extremists  were  still  winning 
converts  by  representing  the  regulations  as  an  encroach- 
ment upon  liberty  under  the  guise  of  reform,  Dr  Keene 

1  Add.  MS.  32720,  f.  383.  '^  Dr  John  Green. 

^  Dr  Chapman.  ■*  Of  Sidney. 

^  Of  Clare.  ^  Add.  MS.  32721,  f.  200. 

'  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  21. 

w  u  c  14 


210     THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

was  doubtless  well  advised  to  defer  to  public  opinion  and 
thus  deprive  the  enemy  of  its  most  potent  argument. 

The  battle  was  fought  in  the  Senate  on  June  26th, 
1750;  and  though  the  opposition  had  mustered  all  their 
strength^  and  strove  hard  for  victory,  the  regulations, 
rejected  on  May  nth,  were  passed  in  their  modified 
form  by  the  Caput  and  the  two  houses.  The  victory, 
though  decisive,  was  narrow,  for  the  majorities  were 
slender,  never  amounting  to  more  than  twelve  and  some- 
times falling  as  low  as  four^.  Pursuing  the  same  tactics 
as  on  the  previous  occasion,  the  opposition  again  brought 
forward  their  Grace  about  the  right  of  appeal  which  was 
promptly  vetoed  in  the  Caput;  but,  in  order  to  neutralise 
the  possible  ill  effects  of  its  action,  the  Caput  immedi- 
ately afterwards  passed  another  Grace  'importing  that 
no  alteration  was  made  or  intended  to  be  made  in 
the  article  of  appealing  where  it  was  allowed  by  the 
statutes^.'  Thus  the  Vice-Chancellor  spared  no  effort 
to  conciliate  his  opponents,  and  though  he  failed  to 
soften  the  hearts  of  many,  he  succeeded  in  persuading 
a  certain  number  that  the  struggle  was  not  between 
liberty  and  tyranny  but  between  faction  and  order.  He 
was  not  an  admirable  character  and  was  conspicuously 
lacking  in  the  virtue  of  loyalty;  but  he  appears  to  have 
possessed  a  very  sound  political  sense  and  many  states- 
manlike attributes^. 

But,  though  the  regulations  had  been  passed,  they  had 
yet  to  be  enforced;  and  there  was  likely  to  be  trouble 
in  this  connection.  It  might  be  anticipated  that  the 
undergraduates,  aware  of  the  controversy  which  had 
divided  the  university,  and  never  over-anxious  to  obey 
authority,  would  under  the  pretext  of  resisting  tyranny 
indulge  their  passion  for  disorder;  and  there  was  the 

1  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  21.  -  Ibid.  •'  Ibid. 

*  For  the  proceedings  in  the  Senate  House  on  June  26th,  see  Cooper's 
Annals,  iv,  278-281. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY     21 1 

further  danger  that  they  might  be  encouraged  by  certain 
members  of  the  Senate  who,  though  defeated  in  their 
attempt  to  reject  the  regulations,  were  anxious  to  con- 
tinue the  struggle.  Stormy  times  were  thought  to  be 
ahead;  and  in  November  1750  Dr  Keene  was  con- 
tinued as  Vice-Chancellor  for  another  year,  as  it  was 
believed  that  'his  temper  and  firmness  joined  together 
will  enforce  the  execution  of  the  regulations  better  than 
it  could  be  done  by  any  other^.'  A  strong  man  was  cer- 
tainly needed;  for  about  a  fortnight  after  Keene  had 
been  re-elected  Vice-Chancellor,  there  occurred  a  very 
scandalous  breach  of  that  article  of  the  new  code  which 
forbade  bachelors  of  arts  and  undergraduates  to  be 
out  of  college  after  eleven  o'clock  at  night. 

'On  Monday  the  19th  instant'  reported  the  Vice-Chancellor 
to  Newcastle  in  November  1750  'Mr  Brown,  Fellow  of 
Pembroke  Hall  and  senior  Proctor  of  this  university,  came  to 
me  and  acquainted  me  that  on  Saturday  night  he  visited  the 
Tunns  tavern^,  that  he  found  there  the  gentlemen  educated  at 
Westminster  school,  celebrating  the  anniversary  of  their  royal 
Foundress,  and  that  Pembroke  clock  had  struck  eleven  before 
he  set  out  from  his  college  to  visit.  The  master  of  the  tavern 
attended  him  into  the  room  and  then  retired.  The  Proctor  being 
told  by  some  one  in  the  room  that  masters  of  arts  were  in  the 
company,  he  went  to  the  head  of  the  table  where  he  found  Mr 
Professor  Francklyn,  President,  Mr  Crew,  Fellow  of  Trinity, 
and  Mr  Ansell,  LL.B.  Fellow  of  Trinity  Hall.  He  told  them 
that  he  came  thither  to  require  that  every  person  under  the 
degree  of  M.A.  should  immediately  retire  to  their  respective 
colleges.  On  having  said  this  Mr  Ansell  told  him  he  hoped  he 
would  observe  that  every  person  was  sober  in  the  room,  which 
immediately  produced  a  loud  huzza  from  the  whole  company. 
The  Proctor  said  he  thought  that  was  an  insult  upon  him;  Mr 
Ansell  replied  that  he  (the  Proctor)  mistook  what  was  meant 
as  applause  to  him,  for  vindicating  the  regularity  of  the  club,  for 

1  Add.  MS.  32722,  f.  418. 

2  The  Three  Tuns  Tavern  stood  at  the  corner  of  the  market  and 
St  Edward's  Passage. 

14 — 2 


212     THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

an  insult  on  him  (the  Proctor).  The  Proctor's  charge  against 
Mr  Ansell  was  not  founded  so  much  on  the  words  themselves 
as  the  manner  of  expressing  them,  which  he  said  was  with  an  air 
of  triumph  and  with  a  sneer.  Mr  Francklyn  expostulated  with 
the  Proctor  about  the  propriety  of  visiting  a  room  where  there 
were  M.A.  That  when  the  Proctor  urged  the  necessity  of  doing 
his  duty,  and  that  the  Professor  knew  that  there  were  laws 
against  clubs  in  general,  and  that  this  step  of  the  Proctor  was  not 
a  rigorous  execution  of  the  new  regulations,  the  Professor 
laughed  in  his  face  and  said  with  an  air  of  contempt,  "this  he  calls 
a  mild  execution  of  the  laws."  The  Proctor  asserts  that  Mr 
Francklyn  expressed  great  indignation  at  being  visited  that  night, 
and  moreover  at  the  close  of  the  dispute  Mr  Francklyn  drank 
"to  our  next  meeting  without  interruption  from  Proctors."  The 
Proctor  charges  Mr  Crew  with  telling  him  that  it  was  rude  and 
uncivil  to  visit  where  M.A.  are  in  company,  and  said  the  Proctor 
might  have  concluded  that  they,  the  M.A.  in  company,  would 
take  proper  care  of  the  young  part  of  the  club.  That  Mr  Crew 
insisted  that  it  was  strange  that  the  execution  of  these  orders 
should  be  begun  with  the  Westminster  club,  and  that  we  scarce 
knew  which  were  to  be  observed,  which  not,  and  that  some 
were  executed,  some  not.  On  these  accounts  the  Proctor  charged 
Mr  Professor  Francklyn,  Mr  Crew,  and  Mr  Ansell  with  inter- 
rupting and  insulting  him  in  the  execution  of  his  office.  Mr 
Proctor  did  likewise  charge  Mr  Vernon,  Fellow  Commoner  of 
Trinity  college,  with  rude  and  insolent  behaviour  to  him  both 
at  the  club  and  after  at  his  chamber.  Mr  Proctor  charged  also 
Mr  Vane,  Fellow  Commoner  of  Peterhouse,  that,  over  and 
above  the  general  charge  of  insult  in  the  room,  he  behaved 
disrespectfully  to  him  in  his  chamber.  The  ill-behaviour  was 
expressed  by  each  of  them  talking  to  him  of  their  independence 
in  the  university,  Mr  Vernon  laughed  in  his  face,  and  Mr  Vane 
told  him  at  his  room  that  what  he  did  was  in  approbation  of 
what  Francklyn  had  said,  and  that,  if  he  was  to  be  pitched  upon, 
he  would  gladly  suffer  for  his  school-fellows.  The  younger  part 
of  the  company,  consisting  of  about  forty,  were  accused  of 
making  the  noise  which  was  frequently  repeated  during  the 
litigation  between  the  Proctor  and  the  M.A.;  and  consequently 
of  insulting  him  in  the  execution  of  his  duty^.' 
i  Add.  MS.  32723,  f.  333. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY     213 

The  most  serious  feature  of  this  incident  was  that 
three  masters  of  arts,  all  of  whom  were  Fellows  and 
one,  the  Regius  Professor  of  Greek,  had  in  the  presence 
of  a  crowd  of  undergraduates  cast  ridicule  upon  the 
Proctor  for  attempting  to  enforce  one  of  the  new  regula- 
tions. It  was  impossible  not  to  suspect  premeditation. 
Before  the  dinner  was  held  the  Proctor  had  given 
notice  that  'he  intended  to  visit  the  Westminster  club 
that  night^'  and  it  was  not  unreasonably  assumed  that 
the  masters  of  arts  were  aware  of  the  intended  visit, 
and  purposely  allowed  the  festivities  to  continue  until 
eleven  o'clock  in  order  to  compel  the  Proctor  to  enforce 
an  article  of  the  new  code.  But  whether  what  had 
happened  was  due  to  design  or  accident,  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  felt  called  upon  to  intervene  in  support  of 
the  Proctor;  and  he  cannot  be  accused  of  having  acted 
in  haste. 

'I  was  struck,  my  Lord,'  he  told  Newcastle,  'with  the  im- 
portance of  the  accusation  and  immediately  determined  to  pro- 
ceed upon  it;  but,  as  it  is  very  rare  that  any  accusation  is  made 
against  M.A.  in  matters  of  discipline,  I  summoned  a  meeting 
of  the  Heads  to  consult  with  them,  and  they  all  agreed  that  the 
whole  must  be  brought  into  my  court  and  publicly  heard'^.' 

The  citations  having  been  sent  out  in  the  usual  form, 
the  Vice-Chancellor,  attended  by  his  assessors,  the 
Heads  of  Houses,  opened  his  court  in  the  Law  Schools 
at  three  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  Saturday  November 
24th.  There  was  a  large  attendance  of  undergraduates 
who  of  course  were  overwhelmingly  in  sympathy  with 
the  culprits.  The  proceedings  began  with  a  lengthy 
statement  by  the  senior  Proctor  which  was  taken  down 
by  the  Registrary.  The  Proctor,  who  delivered  his  state- 
ment in  a  'cool,  deliberate,  and  precise  manner*^,'  gave 
almost  identically  the  same  account  as  he  had  already 

^  An  Enquiry  into  the  Right  of  Appeal,  attributed  to  Dr  Chapman. 
2  Add.  MS.  32723,  f.  333.  ^  Ibid. 


214     THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

given  the  Vice-Chancellor;  but  he  withdrew  his  charge 
against  Vane  of  indecorous  behaviour  at  the  dinner, 
while  still  maintaining  that  at  the  subsequent  interview 
Vane  had  not  conducted  himself  respectfully.  Before 
the  Proctor  had  concluded  his  statement  dusk  had 
fallen,  and  the  court  was  obliged  to  adjourn  to  the 
Senate  house.  When  the  Proctor  had  completed  his 
evidence,  Ansell  was  called  upon  to  make  his  defence, 
and  he  appears  to  have  been  extremely  offensive. 

'He  began'  wrote  the  Vice-Chancellor  'and  addressed  him- 
self to  me  and  "Gentlemen  of  the  university,"  looking  up  to 
the  gallery  where  the  scholars  were  permitted  to  go.  I  stopped 
him  and  said  that  the  scholars  made  not  part  of  the  court,  were 
not  my  assessors.  He  then  changed  his  address  and  went  on  in 
a  warm  and  indecent  speech,  appealing  to  the  passions  of  the 
boys,  and  venturing  to  accuse  my  conduct  in  hearing  the  accusa- 
tion, in  consulting  with  the  Heads,  and  in  sending  out  my 
citations^.' 

Ansell's  speech  concluded  the  proceedings  of  the  day 
and  the  court  was  adjourned  until  nine  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  Tuesday  November  27th.  As  the  dignity 
of  the  first  session  had  been  marred  by  the  unruly  be- 
haviour of  the  undergraduates  who  had  interrupted  the 
Proctor  and  applauded  Ansell,  the  Vice-Chancellor 
ordered  the  Law  Schools  to  be  fenced  off,  enrolled 
thirteen  vice-Proctors  to  maintain  order,  and  publicly 
declared  that  he  would  expel  'on  the  spot  any  one  that 
should  give  the  least  disturbance^.'  These  precautions 
were  effective,  for  the  proceedings  on  the  Tuesday  were 
far  more  orderly.  Moreover  none  of  the  accused 
imitated  Ansell's  insolence.  Professor  Francklin  suc- 
ceeded in  proving  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  court  that 
the  Proctor's  entry  had  not  been  greeted  with  a  shout, 
and  that  his  account  was  inaccurate  in  certain  minor 
details;  and  though  the  Vice-Chancellor  thought  the 

1  Add.  MS.  32723,  f.  333.  2  /^;y_ 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY     215 

Professor's  speech  'light  and  ludicrous,  and  principally- 
intended  to  render  the  Proctor's  evidence  contradictory 
and  expose  him  to  the  crowd\'  it  was  admittedly  free 
from  any  sign  of  disrespect  to  the  court.  But  if  Francklin 
was  an  improvement  upon  Ansell,  Francklin  was  im- 
proved upon  by  Crew  who 

made  a  speech  which,  with  the  agreeable  manner  of  delivering 
it,  prejudiced  everybody  in  his  favour.  He  gave  the  best  turn 
that  could  be  to  the  charge  made  against  him,  and  omitted  to 
take  notice  of  some  of  the  allegations  when  he  was  pressed  2. 

Both  the  Fellow-Commoners  also  acquitted  themselves 
well,  especially  Vane  who  made  a  very  favourable  im- 
pression upon  the  court  by  his  'manner  of  speaking 
which  was  attended  with  an  ingenuous  trepidation^.' 

Sentence  was  passed  on  Thursday,  November  29th. 
Francklin,  Crew,  Vernon  and  Vane  escaped  with  a 
reprimand,  and  the  last  three  were  particularly  compli- 
mented upon  the  modesty  of  their  defence,  but  Ansell, 
for  his  'rude,  contemptuous  and  disobedient  behaviour' 
to  the  Vice-Chancellor,  was  sentenced  to  be  suspended 
'ab  omni  gradu  suscepto  et  suscipiendo.'  'I  do  ac- 
cordingly' added  the  Vice-Chancellor  'suspend  you 
from  your  degree '^,'  explaining  at  the  same  time  how- 
ever that  the  sentence  would  be  revoked  directly 
Ansell  made  his  submission  and  acknowledged  his  of- 
fence^. The  punishment,  though  severe,  was  thoroughly 
well  deserved.  Ansell  had  conducted  himself  in  court  in 
an  extremely  offensive  and  unbecoming  fashion;  and 
the  assessors  were  in  complete  agreement  with  the  Vice- 
Chancellor's  sentence.  Moreover,  on  the  morning  of 
the  day  on  which  sentence  was  passed,  the  Vice-Chan- 
cellor had  sent  a  message  to  Ansell  to  the  effect  that 
'if  he  would  make  an  acknowledgement  of  his  fault, 

1  Add.  MS,  32723,  f.  333.  -  Ibid. 

3  Ibid.  4  Add.  MS.  32723,  f.  339. 

■''  An  Enquiry  into  the  Right  of  Appeal. 


2i6     THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

before  sentence  was  delivered,  the  Vice-Chancellor 
would  not  proceed  to  that  part  of  the  sentence  which 
related  to  the  suspension^';  and  Ansell  had  deliberately 
refused  to  take  this  means  of  escape^. 

He  cannot  therefore  in  any  way  be  regarded  as  the 
victim  of  tyranny;  and  it  is  possible  that  his  provocative 
attitude  was  due  more  to  political  design  than  to  native 
insolence  and  obstinacy.  His  subsequent  conduct  cer- 
tainly suggests  that  he  was  asking  for  trouble  with  a 
definite  object  in  view.  Shortly  after  sentence  had  been 
passed  upon  him,  he  claimed  the  right  to  appeal  against 
it,  and  thereby  raised  again  the  much  disputed  and 
vexatious  question  whether  in  cases  of  discipline  there 
was  any  appeal  from  the  Vice-Chancellor's  court. 
Dr  Keene  could  not  allow  the  appeal  without  retreating 
from  the  position  which  he  and  the  Heads  had  taken 
up,  and  yet  it  was  certain  that  by  refusing  it  he  would 
revive  an  unfortunate  controversy,  and  restore  to  the 
extremists  the  advantage  of  which  he  had  deprived  them 
by  his  conciliatory  tactics.  Ansell,  who  was  probably 
the  agent  of  a  party,  thus  threw  down  a  definite  chal- 
lenge; and  the  Vice-Chancellor,  driven  into  a  corner, 
had  no  option  but  to  accept  it. 

'The  Heads  at  a  meeting  yesterday'  he  wrote  on  December 
4th  'were  of  opinion  that  I  should  persevere  in  refusing  the 
appeal,  in  order  to  have  that  great  question  finally  settled  about 
the  right  of  appealing  with  which  we  are  so  frequently  annoyed, 
and  which,  if  granted  in  the  unlimited  manner  so  much  con- 
tended for  by  many  people,  utterly  destroys  all  government  in 
this  university  ^' 

^  An  Enquiry  into  the  Right  of  Appeal. 

^  The  court  also  reprimanded  the  undergraduates  for  applauding 
the  Proctor,  and  expressed  the  opinion  that  'all  persons  concerned,  under 
the  degree  of  master  of  arts,  batchelor  of  law  or  batchelor  of  physick, 
did  incur  the  penalty  of  six  shillings  and  eightpence  for  being  out  of 
his  college  after  eleven  of  the  clock.' 

3  Add.  MS.  32723,  f  357. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY      217 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  Dr  Keene  was  prepared  to 
admit  an  inquiry  into  the  right  of  appeal,  and  only 
declined  to  take  such  action  as  would  prejudge  the 
question;  and  no  fault  can  be  found  with  his  attitude. 
Therefore  when  at  a  congregation  on  December  i6th 
William  Ridlington,  Fellow  of  Trinity  Hall  and  after- 
wards Regius  Professor  of  Civil  Law,  asked  for  a  Caput 
to  be  summoned,  in  order  that  delegates  might  be  ap- 
pointed to  hear  Ansell's  appeal,  the  Vice-Chancellor 
very  properly  refused  to  summon  the  Caput,  and  an- 
nounced that  early  in  the  following  term  he  intended  to 
bring  forward  a  Grace  dealing  with  the  question  in 
dispute.  Ridlington  and  his  friends  vented  their  spite 
by  stopping  in  the  non-regents'  house  a  supplicat  for 
a  bachelor  of  arts  degree^;  and  when  on  the  1 8th 
January  1751,  the  Vice-Chancellor,  in  fulfilment  of 
his  pledge,  proposed  his  Grace  for  the  appointment  of 
a  syndicate  'to  consult  the  statutes  and  archives  of  the 
university,  and  from  thence  draw  out  a  state  of  the  case 
about  appeals  to  be  laid  before  the  king  and  council,' 
it  was  rejected  in  the  non-regents'  house  by  fifty-two 
votes  to  eleven^. 

The  opposition  contended  that  there  was  no  necessity 
for  a  syndicate,  as  the  question  should  be  decided  by 
the  Senate;  and  they  therefore  in  their  turn  proposed 
a  Grace  by  which  all  members  of  the  university  were 
to  enjoy  an  unlimited  right  of  appeal,  though  persons 
in  statu  pupillari  must  act  through  their  Tutors.  This 
Grace  was  withdrawn  in  order  to  allow  the  Chancellor 
to  be  consulted^;  but  there  is  no  doubt  that,  had  it  been 
persevered  with,  it  would  have  been  vetoed  in  the  Caput. 
The   Heads   were   the  authorised   interpreters   of  the 

1  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  125,  f.  126;  Cooper's  Annals,  iv,  282-283. 
■^  Uid. 

"  Add.    MS.   35657,    f.  26.    A  letter  to   the  Author   of  a  further 
Inquiry. 


21 8     THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

statutes,  and  though  prepared  on  this  occasion  to  accept 
a  decision  of  the  king  in  council,  they  could  not  allow 
their  functions  to  be  usurped  by  the  Senate,  nor  could  a 
Grace  over-ride  a  statute.  Hence  there  was  a  deadlock 
with  regard  to  the  mode  of  procedure,  and  Newcastle 
was  as  helpless  as  Dr  Keene.  For  a  time  indeed  there 
was  a  hope  that  the  question  might  be  decided  by  the 
courts  of  law,  as  Ansell  was  preparing  to  seek  a 
remedy  in  the  court  of  King's  Bench;  and  both  the 
Chancellor  and  Vice-Chancellor  would  have  welcomed 
such  a  solution  of  the  difficulty^.  Ansell  was  however 
obliged  to  abandon  his  suit,  and  any  hope  of  a  settle- 
ment receded  into  the  background.  In  July  1751 
Dr  Keene  told  the  Duke  that  he  would  endeavour  'this 
summer  to  form  a  plan  by  which  the  disputes  on 
appeals  may  entirely  be  prevented  for  the  future^'; 
but  he  had  no  plan  ready  when  the  Michaelmas  term 
began. 

The  delay  in  a  settlement  played  into  the  hands  of 
the  opposition  by  allowing  them  time  to  air  their 
grievances  and  fan  an  agitation.  An  association  was 
formed  in  defence  of  the  right  of  appeal,  which  con- 
sisted of  about  thirty-six  masters  of  arts  and  met  at  the 
Tunns  tavern  under  the  presidency  of  Dr  Banson, 
Fellow  of  Trinity  Hall^.  There  was  also  a  shower  of 
pamphlets.  Both  parties  rushed  into  print,  quoting 
authority  against  authority  and  statute  against  statute, 
and  contributing  more  heat  than  illumination  to  the 
controversy*.  Even  the  undergraduates  joined  in  the 
fray,  and  from  this  quarter  came  an  amusing  production 
entitled  An  Expostuiatory  Address  of  the  Undergraduates 

1  Add.  MS.  32724,  f.  290.  2  /^jj_  MS.  32724,  f.  445. 

^  In  February  175 1  Dr  Rooke  gave  the  number  of  'associators  in 
favour  of  liberty'  as  forty-four;  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  26. 

*  A  list  of  these  pamphlets  will  be  found  in  Cooper's  Annals,  iv, 
280,  n.  2. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY     219 

of  the  University  of  Cambridge  to  the  Doctor  and  thirty-six 
Masters  of  Arts  met  together  at  the  Tunns  Tavern.  The 
author  or  authors  of  this  squib  contended  that  though, 
as  to  the  matter  of  appeal  we  confess  at  present  we  neither 
understand  the  old  nor  the  new  statutes... we  do,  with  great 
submission  and  a  due  deference  to  your  better  judgment,  suggest 
that  if  there  be  an  appeal  from  the  Vice-Chancellor  to  the 
masters  of  arts,  there  should  be  one  from  the  masters  of  arts 

to  the  undergraduates We  cannot  be  so  unjust  to  you  as  ever 

to  imagine  that  you  will  desert  a  body  of  youth  ever  serviceable 
in  carrying  on  all  popular  schemes,  and  who  so  loudly  supported 
you  in  all  the  late  trying  occasions.  Recollect  the  hazards  we  ran 
when  we  were  threatened  with  tolbooths,  prisons,  and  expul- 
sions. Call  to  mind  the  bravery  of  that  young  heroe  who  dared 
in  the  midst  of  the  crowd  to  scatter  his  aqua  fortis.  Think  of 
that  humourous  person  that  imitated  an  ass  with  such  native 
similitude,  and  who  is  scarce  yet  recovered  from  the  violent 
agitation  such  a  performance  must  necessarily  throw  him  into. 
But  enough  of  this,  stand  firm,  reverend  friends,  a  select  body 
of  men,  firmly  united,  must  at  length  prevail  and  bear  down  a 
corrupt  multitude.  You  may  depend  on  our  joint  and  sincere 
endeavours  till  that  natural  liberty  and  equality,  to  which  we 
were  born,  be  again  restored,  and  government,  that  creature  of 
policy  and  ambition,  be  dissolved^. 

The  undergraduates  were  undoubtedly  extremely 
amused  at  the  bickerings  of  their  seniors;  but  the  state 
of  affairs  in  the  university  was  really  more  an  occasion 
for  sorrow  than  amusement.  When  in  November  1751 
Dr  Wilcox,  Master  of  Clare,  succeeded  Dr  Keene  as 
Vice-Chancellor,  the  controversy  was  still  raging  and 
apparently  as  far  off  an  end  as  ever.  As  a  demonstration 
of  hostility  the  opposition  had  voted  against  Dr  W'ilcox's 
election^,  and  three  weeks  later  they  brought  forward 
their  Grace  for  an  unlimited  right  of  appeal.  The  Grace 
was  rejected   by  the   Caput,   and  when   it  was  again 

1  Add.  MS.  33061,  f.  343. 

2  They  voted  for  the  Provost  of  King's  who  had  been  nominated 
with  Dr  Wilcox. 


220     THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

brought  forward  in  January  1752,  Dr  Wilcox  declined 
to  summon  the  Caput  to  consider  it^.  The  opposition 
retaliated  for  these  defeats  by  voting  against  supplicats 
for  degrees,  though  they  were  not  always  successful  in 
preventing  them  from  passing. 

In  any  prolonged  contest,  however,  there  comes  a 
stage  when  the  desire  for  peace  is  stronger  than  the 
passion  for  victory;  and  in  spite  of  the  controversy 
seeming  likely  to  continue  indefinitely,  the  end  was 
really  near  at  hand.  During  the  Christmas  vacation  of 
1 750-1 75 1  the  Vice-Chancellor  conferred  with  the 
representatives  of  the  opposition  party,  and  though  they 
failed  to  agree  upon  a  settlement,  it  was  something  that 
the  antagonists  had  been  able  to  meet;  and  doubtless 
an  atmosphere  favourable  to  peace  was  generated^. 
Probably  there  were  subsequent  meetings  of  which  we 
know  nothing;  for  on  the  13th  March  1752  the  Senate 
unanimously  passed  a  Grace  requesting  Newcastle, 
Hardwicke,  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  the  Bishop 
of  London,  Lord  Chief  Justice  Lee,  and  his  brother, 
Sir  George  Lee^,  to  act  as  referees  in  the  dispute,  and 
stipulating  that  whatever  they  or  a  majority  of  them 
decided  to  be  '  consentaneum  statutis,  privilegiis  et  con- 
suetudinibus  academiae'  should  be  accepted  by  the 
university  as  a  final  judgment.  It  was  further  provided 
by  the  same  Grace  that  the  Heads  should  be  represented 
by  the  Vice-Chancellor  and  the  Masters  of  Corpus  and 
Magdalene,  and  the  opposition  by  Bickham  of  Emman- 
uel, Smith  of  King's  and  Thomas  Balguy  of  St  John's^. 

All  of  those  asked  to  be  referees  consented  to  act 

^  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  129,  f.  130;  Cooper's  Annals,  iv,  285-286. 

2  Add.  MS.  3  5657,  f.  3  r .  A  letter  to  the  author  of  a  further  Inquiry. 

^  Sir  William  Lee  was  Chief  Justice  of  the  King's  Bench,  and  his 
brother,  George,  had  recently  been  appointed  Dean  of  Arches. 

*  Cooper's  Annals,  iv,  285-286.  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  33;  Add. 
MS.  35591,  f  299. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY     221 

with  the  exception  of  Newcastle  who  declined  as  a  party 
interested  in  the  dispute,  and  as  about  to  leave  for  the 
continent  with  the  King^.  It  had  probably  been  under- 
stood from  the  first  that  the  Duke  would  refuse,  and 
his  co-operation  was  not  essential  to  the  success  of  the 
scheme.  It  is  however  remarkable,  in  view  of  the  angry 
passions  aroused,  that  not  only  was  the  proposal  to 
refer  the  dispute  to  arbitration  greeted  with  enthusiasm, 
but  that  it  alone  sufficed  to  restore  peace  and  harmony 
to  a  distracted  university.  '  If  there  be  any  contentions 
left  amongst  us  at  present '  wrote  Dr  Squire  in  April 
1752  'it  seems  to  be  which  side  was  most  willing  to 
come  into  reference^,'  and  another  testifies  that  'if  there 
should  be  anyone  who  repine  at  peace  being  restored 
to  us,  they  dare  not  so  much  as  utter  it  in  a  murmur^.' 
When  in  June  1752  Dr  Keene  returned  to  Cambridge 
after  an  absence,  he  was  able  to  report  that  he  'found 
it  in  that  state  of  tranquillity  which  I  foresaw  would 
take  place  on  the  reference  being  unanimously  complied 
with*';  and  thus,  as  though  by  a  wave  of  a  magician's 
wand,  peace  was  restored  at  the  moment  when  the  out- 
look was  darkest.  We  know  very  little  as  to  how  this 
happy  state  of  things  was  brought  about;  but  there  is 
no  doubt  that  both  parties  welcomed  the  truce,  and  were 
well  content  to  wait  in  patience  for  the  decision  of  the 
referees.  Whatever  that  decision  had  been  it  is  unlikely 
that  discord  would  have  broken  out  again;  but,  curiously 
enough,  the  referees  apparently  never  pronounced  a 
verdict.  When  in  November  1752  Dr  Yonge,  Master 
of  Jesus,  became  Vice-Chancellor,  he  told  Newcastle 
that  there  was  little  reason 
to  apprehend  a  revival  of  our  late  dissensions,  since  duty  and 

1  Cooper's  Annah,  iv,  286;  Add.  MS.   5852,  f.  130;  Add.  MS. 
32726,  f.  424.  ^  Add.  MS.  32726,  f.  424. 

^  Add.  MS.  32726,  f.  427;  see  also,  f.  481. 
*  Add.  MS.  32728,  f.  127. 


222     THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

gratitude  to  the  great  persons,  who  have  so  kindly  undertaken 
to  hear  and  determine  our  dispute,  must  dispose  all  parties  to 
wait  their  leisure  with  an  entire  acquiescence^; 

and,  so  well  were  the  parties  disposed  that  they  allowed 
the  dispute  to  be  shelved  altogether.  It  is  possible  that 
the  referees  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  might  be 
hazardous  to  the  recently  restored  peace  to  promulgate 
a  decision ;  and  it  was  doubtless  far  better  to  allow  the 
controversy  to  perish  of  inanition,  even  though  the 
story  is  thus  deprived  of  an  end. 

It  is  clear  that  the  relations  between  Newcastle  and 
the  university  were  very  far  from  being  consistently 
harmonious,  and  that  he  was  often  compelled  to  struggle 
for  the  maintenance  of  his  power.  There  is  however 
another  and  a  pleasanter  side  to  his  Chancellorship, 
and  a  side  which  tends  to  be  forgotten.  A  generous 
benefactor,  it  was  he  who  set  a  good  example  to 
his  successors  by  instituting  the  custom  of  the  Chan- 
cellor annually  awarding  two  gold  medals  to  those 
'who,  having  obtained  senior  optimes  in  philosophical 
learning,  shall  pass  the  best  examination  in  classical 
learning^';  and  by  so  doing  he  certainly  encouraged 
the  study  of  the  classics.  From  the  very  first  these 
medals  attracted  the  best  brains  in  the  university; 
and  the  examination  seems  to  have  been  conducted 
with  commendable  thoroughness.  On  one  occasion, 
when  the  votes  of  the  examiners  were  equally  divided 
between  two  of  the  candidates,  the  Vice-Chancellor 
appealed  to  the  Duke  who  decided  'that  where  there 
is  an  equality  of  voices  in  the  disposal  of  the  medals, 
the  casting  vote  ought  to  be  in  the  Vice-Chancellor, 

1  Add.  MS.  32730,  f.  212. 

2  Add.  MS.  32936,  f.  99.  In  the  nineteenth  century  the  restriction 
of  the  competition  to  those  who  had  attained  a  certain  standard  in 
mathematics  was  abolished. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY     223 

and  I  should  desire  that  it  might  always  be  so  deter- 
mined^.' In  1765  only  two  competitors  appeared,  and 
ihis  unusual  lack  of  candidates  so  grieved  the  Vice- 
Chancellor,  Dr  Barnardiston,  Master  of  Corpus,  that 
he  postponed  the  examination  for  a  fortnight,  and  went 
'to  everyone  of  the  young  gentlemen,  who  were  capable 
of  appearing  as  candidates,  that  the  victors,  by  in- 
creasing the  number,  might  receive  the  greater  honour'; 
and,  though  his  solicitations  failed,  he  was  able  to  report 
to  Newcastle  after  the  examination  that  '  the  two  young 
candidates  were  very  deserving  of  your  Grace's  favour, 
and,  though  the  contest  was  only  for  precedence,  they 
were  examined  with  the  same  accuracy  as  if  the  number 
had  been  greater^.' 

It  was  also  during  his  time  as  Chancellor  that  the 
present  east  front  of  the  Library  was  erected;  and 
though  he  did  not  originate  the  idea  which  had  long 
been  under  consideration,  he  took  an  active  and  leading 
part  in  its  execution.  There  were  indeed  some  who 
thought  that  it  would  have  been  better  if  he  had  been 
less  active  and  left  more  to  the  initiative  of  the  univer- 
sity; and  possibly  James  Burrough,  afterwards  Master 
of  Caius,  was  of  this  opinion.  Burrough,  who  was  an 
amateur  architect  of  some  merit^,  produced  in  1752,  a 
design  for  an  east  front  of  the  Library,  uniform  in  style 
with  the  Senate  house  which  had  been  recently  erected. 
If  left  to  itself  the  university  would  probably  have 
accepted  Burrough's  scheme  without  demur;  but  at  this 
point  Newcastle  intervened  and  took  the  matter  into 
his  own  hands. 

'I  have  directed  Mr  Wright'  he  informed  Dr  Keene  in 
October  1753  'to  prepare  forthwith  a  complete  design  for 
building  a  wing  to  answer  the  Senate  house  in  front,  and  to  the 

1  Add.  MS.  32903,  f.  307.  2  Ajj_  ]VIS.  32966,  f.  61. 

^  According  to  tradition  Burrough  designed  the  Senate  house,  but 
probably  he  did  no  more  than  give  general  suggesdons. 


224     THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

Regent  Walk.  And  also  of  a  new  front  to  the  Library  and 
Schools  to  front  the  Regent  Walk,  with  arcades  to  Caius  college 
and  King's  college  to  join  the  Schools  with  the  other  buildings. 
In  the  building  opposite  to  the  Senate  house  I  would  propose 
a  Vice-Chancellor's  court,  an  appartment  for  the  Librarian  at 
the  end  towards  the  Library,  and  for  the  Register  at  the  end 
towards  St  Mary's  church.  I  must  beg  that  you  would  give 
immediate  attention  upon  an  affair  in  which  the  ornament  and 
conveniency  of  the  university  and  my  own  credit  are  so  much 
concerned  1.' 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  project  thus  outlined  was 
far  more  ambitious  than  that  put  forward  by  Burrough; 
but  it  was  not  novel,  as  the  erection  of  a  building, 
parallel  with  the  Senate  house,  had  long  been  con- 
templated, and  in  1738  a  syndicate  had  been  formed  to 
negotiate  the  purchase  of  the  site.  Aware  however 
that  such  an  undertaking  would  be  excessively  costly, 
the  Duke  intended  to  proceed  by  degrees  and  to  make 
a  beginning  with  the  Library  front;  but  if  he  thought 
that  the  university  would  accept  his  proposal  without 
demur,  he  was  guilty  of  a  bad  error  of  judgment  and 
forgot  how  easy  it  is  to  offend  the  pride  of  an  architect. 
Burrough  was  not  unnaturally  much  chagrined  at  having 
his  design  so  lightly  cast  aside,  and  objected  that  the 
new  Library  front,  as  designed  by  Wright,  was  not 
uniform  in  style  with  the  Senate  house;  and,  as  he  was 
a  popular  character  in  the  university^,  he  found  many 
sympathisers  who  were  prepared  to  support  him.  There 
was  consequently  a  danger  of  V/right's  design  being 
rejected  by  the  Senate;  but  the  Duke's  friends  at 
Cambridge  took  pains  to  preach  the  doctrine  that  the 
university  'might  be  hurt  and  disgraced  by  any  be- 
haviour  upon    this    occasion    which    might   have    the 

1  Add.  MS.  32733,  f.  135. 

2  According  to  Cole,  Burrough  had  no  enemies,  and  any  prominent 
person  in  an  university,  of  whom  this  can  be  said,  must  be  either 
singularly  fortunate  or  remarkably  amiable. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY     225 

appearance  of  rudeness  and  Ingratitude^';  and  when 
on  nth  of  June  1754  a  Grace  was  submitted  to  the 
Senate,  recommending  that  the  syndicate  appointed  in 
1738  should  be  entrusted  with  the  execution  of  the 
Chancellor's  plan  for  the  new  library  front,  it  passed 
with  only  ten  non-placet  votes  in  the  non-regents* 
house  and  six  in  the  regents'  house^.  Burrough  and 
ten  other  members  of  Caius  college  were  among  the 
non-placets,  and  as  the  controversy  is  said  to  have 
provoked  'a  great  deal  of  animosity  and  ill-temper  in 
the  university,'  the  Duke  was  lucky  to  have  gained 
so  easy  a  victory. 

Immediately  after  the  assent  of  the  Senate  had  been 
obtained,  building  operations  were  begun.  In  September 
1754  Newcastle  visited  Cambridge  from  Wimpole  to 
inspect  the  trenches  dug  for  the  foundations,  and  in 
the  following  April  he  laid  the  foundation  stone.  Three 
years  later  the  building  was  finished,  and  on  July  3rd, 
1758,  was  opened  in  state  by  the  Chancellor^.  General 
satisfaction  was  expressed  with  Wright's  work  which 
was  described  as  'extremely  handsome,'  though  fault 
was  found  with  the  bookshelves  which  were  said  to  be 
'very  beautifull  and  very  inconvenient''^.'  The  whole 
cost  amounted  to  about  ten  thousand,  five  hundred 
pounds,  and  it  was  not  found  at  all  easy  to  raise  this 
sum.  It  had  been  arranged  at  the  outset  that  an  appeal 
should  be  made  by  the  Vice-Chancellor  for  subscrip- 
tions; and  Newcastle,  realising  that  many  would  only 
give  in  the  hope  of  receiving  again,  and  that  as  a 
dispenser  of  the  royal  patronage  he  was  favourably 
situated  to  ask  for  money,  closely  associated  himself 
with  the  appeal. 

'I  desire  Yonge'  he  wrote  to  Dr  Keene  in  October  1753 

1  Add.  MS.  32734,  f.  320;  see  also  f.  293. 

2  Add.  MS.  32735,  f.  431,  f.  449;  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  136,  f.  137. 

3  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  145.  4  Add.  MS.  32875,  f.  75. 

w  u  c  15 


226     THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

'would,  from  the  buttery  books  of  the  several  colleges,  send  me 
up  the  names  of  the  several  peers,  bishops,  peers'  sons,  and 
persons  of  any  distinction  who  have  been  at  our  university, 
that  we  may  judge  whereabouts  our  subscriptions  will  come.  I 
desire  also  to  have  the  names  and  sums  given  by  the  several 
persons  upon  the  two  last  subscriptions  in  1720  and  1724  or 
thereabouts^' 

Dr  Yonge  was  Vice-Chancellor  when  the  subscrip- 
tion list  was  opened,  and  when  he  retired  in  November 
1754,  three  thousand,  six  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  had 
been  collected,  of  which  sum  the  King  had  subscribed 
one  thousand,  and  Newcastle  five  hundred  pounds. 
Dr  Thomas,  Master  of  Christ's,  who  followed  Yonge 
as  Vice-Chancellor,  raised  another  twelve  hundred  and 
seventy-one  pounds;  but  after  his  retirement  there  was 
a  serious  falling  ofF;  and  the  three  Vice-Chancellors 
who  were  in  office  from  November  1755  to  November 
1758  only  succeeded  between  them  in  raising  a  sum 
slightly  less  than  that  collected  by  Dr  Thomas  in  a 
single  year^.  Thus  when  Dr  Caryl  became  Vice-Chan- 
cellor in  November  1758  between  three  and  four 
thousand  pounds  were  still  needed;  and  encouraged  and 
perhaps  assisted  by  the  Duke,  he  made  an  energetic 
appeaP  and  by  the  middle  of  May  1759  had  reduced 
the  debt  to  about  two  thousand,  six  hundred  pounds*. 
This  was  still  an  embarrassingly  large  liability  and 
Newcastle  resorted  to  heroic  measures.  He  added 
another  five  hundred  pounds  to  his  original  donation, 
and  arranged  that  the  King  should  contribute  another 
thousand  pounds,  thus  considerably  easing  the  financial 
situation^.  By  the  middle  of  October  1759  only  a  sum 
of  six  hundred  pounds  remained  to  be  paid^,  which  was 
advanced  out  of  the  funds  of  the  university. 

1  Add.  MS.  32733,  f.  135.  2  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  441. 

3  Add.  MS.  32891,  f.  88.  *  Add.  MS.  32891,  f.  161. 

5  Add.  MS.  32893,  f.  3,  f.  5.  6  Add.  MS.  32897,  f.  213. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY     227 

'  As  the  workmen  have  stayed  so  long  for  their  money '  wrote 
Dr  Caryl  to  Newcastle  on  November  23rd,  1759  'I  took  a 
resolution  to  advance  it  to  them  out  of  the  university  stock,  and 
have  accordingly  paid  them  all  this  morning,  hoping  that  in 
two  or  three  months  I  shall  be  enabled  to  replace  it  by  the 
payment  of  such  subscriptions  as  are  already  promised^.' 

It  had  clearly  been  very  difficult  to  raise  the  necessary 
money,  and  the  task  might  have  been  impossible  but 
for  the  assistance  given  by  the  Duke.  He  and  the  King 
between  them  contributed  more  than  a  third  of  the  total 
cost  of  the  building;  and  it  is  possible  that  many  sub- 
scribed because  they  knew  that  Newcastle  was  keenly 
anxious  for  the  success  of  the  scheme.  'Probably  most 
of  the  clerical  subscribers  and  possibly  many  of  the 
laity'  scribbled  Cole  in  after  years  upon  a  list  of  sub- 
scribers 'put  in  here  as  into  a  lottery  of  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle's  formation,  Translations,  places  and  pre- 
ferments were  what  were  fished  for,  and  many  succeeded 
to  their  heart's  desire^. '  The  difficulty  he  had  found  in 
collecting  money  was  enough  to  convince  the  Duke  that 
the  completion  of  Wright's  design  must  wait  for  another 
Chancellor;  but  he  is  deserving  of  our  gratitude  for 
what  he  actually  achieved.  It  is  not  so  easy  to  be  grateful 
to  him  for  the  statue  of  George  II  which  he  presented 
to  the  university,  and  which  now  stands  in  the  Library. 
Executed  by  Wilton,  it  is  an  ugly  and  cumbersome 
piece  of  work,  lacking  in  any  interest  save  as  an  indica- 
tion of  the  taste  of  the  age  in  statuary.  George  II  was 
still  on  the  throne  when  Newcastle  announced  his  in- 
tention, expressing  at  the  same  time,  a  wish  that  the 
statue  should  be  placed  in  the  Library,  'as  his  Majesty 
has  been  so  considerable  a  benefactor  to  it^, '  but  it  was 
not  until   1766  that  the  statue  was  erected,  and  then 

1  Add.  MS.  32899,  f.  71.  2  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  441. 

^  Add.  MS.  32911,  f.  369;  see  also  Add.  MS.  32909,  f.  278; 
Add.  MS.  32912,  f.  II. 

15—2 


228     THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

not  in  the  Library  but  in  the  Senate  house^.  The  Duke 
himself  was  mainly  responsible  for  the  long  delay  by 
failing  to  make  timely  preparations  for  the  composition 
of  an  inscription,  'You  know'  pathetically  remarked 
Wilton  in  June  1763  'how  much  I  want  the  inscription, 
and  how  many  months  I  have  waited  for  it  to  compleat 
the  work^.'  Stirred  at  last  into  activity  by  this  appeal, 
Newcastle  sent  instructions  to  Dr  Caryl  for  an  inscrip- 
tion to  be  written;  'His  Grace'  wrote  the  Duke's 
secretary  'thinks  that  there  should  be  a  good  deal  and 
something  very  handsome  and  proper  said  about  the 
late  King  who  was  so  great  a  benefactor,  and  something 
should  also  be  said  of  the  university  and  of  himself 
with  regard  to  his  zeal  for  both^.' 

Newcastle  however  was  not  content  to  give  general 
instructions,  and  he  was  not  sparing  of  criticism  on 
receiving  a  draft  of  the  inscription  in  April  1764.  He 
strongly  objected  to  the  words  'summa  confidentia' 
being  used  with  regard  to  his  relations  with  George  II, 
because  they  conveyed  'the  sense  of  first  minister  which 
no  man  should  say  of  himself;  and  he  also  ventured 
to  express  an  opinion  on  points  of  scholarship. 

'I  had  some  doubts'  he  told  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  'whether 
"quod  volenti"  was  classical  and  sufficiently  conveyed  the  sense, 
viz.  because  he  did  so.  Lord  Grantham  assures  me  it  is  right  and 
elegantly  expresses  the  sense  which  is  propter  quod.  Lord 
Grantham  had  himself  some  doubts,  as  I  had,  whether  "ipsum 
per  annos  complures"  is  not  at  too  great  a  distance  from  the 
conclusion  to  which  it  relates^.' 

1  Add.  MS.  32975,  f.  91.  2  Add.  MS.  32949,  f.  167. 

^  Add.  MS.  32949,  f.  263. 

■*  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  266.  The  final  form  of  the  inscription  was 
as  follows: 

Georgio  Secundo 
Patrono  suo,  optime  merenti, 

Semper  venerando; 
Quod  volenti  Populo, 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY     229 

A  few  weeks  later  he  returned  to  the  charge,  having  in 
the  interval  consulted  those  of  his  friends  who  had  kept 
up  their  classics. 

'As  to  ipsum '  he  wrote  to  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  'they  were 
clear  that  there  could  be  no  objection  to  the  distance,  but  one 
of  them  rather  chose  se  or  seipsum  than  ipsum  alone;  but,  if 
ipsum  will  do,  it  is  better  alone.  One  of  them  had  some  doubts 
whether  the  verbs  should  not  be  in  the  subjunctive  mood... but 
I  believe  it  is  better  as  it  is.  It  has  occurred  to  me,  and  to  me 
only,  whether  four  or  five  words  might  not  be  thrown  in  to 
heighten  it;  for  example,  something  like  this — in  pace  et  in 
bello  feliciter-^-and  then  another  word  of  higher  commendation. 
...This  is  my  own.  Try  it  a  little,  and  see  whether  it  will  do^.' 

The  Bishop  tried  it  and  apparently  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  it  would  do,  for  the  words  suggested  appear 
in  the  final  form  of  the  inscription.  The  Bishop  how- 
ever upheld  his  use  of  quod^  quoting  as  his  authority 
'the  seventeenth  section  of  Tully's  Fifth  Philippic^'  and 
he  preferred  to  drop  the  phrase  'ipsum  per  annos  com- 
piures'  rather  than  permit  the  introduction  of  se  or 
seipsum.  'The  reciprocal  pronoun'  he  remarked  'is  the 
most  difficult  thing  to  manage  in  the  Latin  language 

Justissime,  humanissime, 

In  Pace  et  in  Bello, 

Feliciter  Imperavit; 

Quod  Academiam  Cantabrigiensem 

Fovit,  auxit,  ornavit; 

Hanc  Statuam 
Aeternum,  faxit  Deus,  Monumentum, 

Grati  Animi  in  Regem, 

Pietatis  in  Patriam, 

Amoris  in  Academiam, 
Suis  Sumptibus  poni  curavit 
Thomas  Holies 

Dux  de  Newcastle 
Academiae  Cancellarius 

A.D.   MDCCLXVI. 

1  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  416. 


23C     THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  UNIVERSITY 

and  perhaps  in  the  English  too^.'  It  is  characteristic  of 
Newcastle  to  have  been  so  profuse  of  advice  upon  a 
question  which  might  have  been  safely  left  to  the 
experts,  and  typical  of  his  whole  attitude  towards  the 
university.  He  wasted  his  own  and  other  people's  time 
by  continually  interfering  in  matters  which  could  easily 
have  been  arranged  without  him;  and  was  ever  seeking 
to  assert  his  authority.  Over  his  Chancellorship  hangs 
an  atmosphere  of  intrigue  and  wire-pulling  for  which 
he  is  largely  responsible;  and  though  he  no  more  intro- 
duced jobbery  and  corruption  into  the  university  than 
he  did  into  political  life,  it  can  hardly  be  denied  that 
in  both  spheres  of  his  activity  he  was  not  scrupulous  as 
to  the  means  he  employed  to  win  followers.  Nevertheless 
he  deserves  to  be  remembered  in  the  university  for  the 
love  he  bore  it.  His  frequent  professions  of  affection 
ring  true;  and  it  can  at  least  be  said  of  him  that  he 
strove,  according  to  his  lights,  to  promote  the  honour 
and  glory  of  Cambridge. 

1  Add.  MS.  32958,  f.  427. 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

IF  Newcastle  had  strictly  confined  himself  to  his  pre- 
scribed duties  as  Chancellor  it  would  have  been 
unnecessary  for  him  to  concern  himself  with  the 
domestic  affairs  of  the  various  colleges,  unless  called 
upon  to  act  in  the  capacity  of  visitor^,  and  it  would 
doubtless  have  conduced  to  the  peace  of  mmd,  both 
of  himself  and  the  university,  if  he  had  restrained  his 
activities.  College  politics  are  apt  to  be  involved  and 
tortuous  labyrinths,  perplexing  enough  to  those  who 
daily  tread  them,  and  quite  bewildering  to  the  un- 
initiated stranger.  The  political  life  of  a  small  society 
tends  to  be  fierce;  and  in  a  college,  as  in  a  city  state, 
the  balance  of  forces  is  never  constant,  parties  are  for 
ever  forming  and  dissolving,  and  nothing  is  certain 
except  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  contentious  questions. 
Had  Newcastle  been  born  in  a  different  station  and 
passed  his  life  as  a  Fellow  of  a  college,  his  capacity 
for  patient  and  industrious  intrigue  would  not  have 
been  wasted;  but,  situated  as  he  was,  it  was  hopeless 
for  him  to  attempt  to  control  the  affairs  of  sixteen 
separate  societies.  The  task  moreover  was  not  only 
greater  than  any  one  man  could  perform;  it  was  even 
more  dangerous  than  it  was  difficult.  Much  as  the 
Fellows  of  a  college  might  cabal  and  intrigue  against 
one  another,  bitter  as  might  be  their  personal  rivalries, 
they  would  certainly  combine  against  the  intruder  from 
the  outside;  for  college  feeling  ran  high  and  the  inter- 
ference  of  a   Chancellor   would   be   bitterly  resented. 

^  A  few  of  the  colleges  had  the  Chancellor  as  their  visitor. 


232  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

Nevertheless  Newcastle  could  not  afford  to  be  indifferent 
to  college  politics  unless  he  was  prepared  very  sub- 
stantially to  modify  his  conception  of  his  part  in 
academic  business.  His  influence  in  the  university  de- 
pended in  no  small  measure  upon  his  influence  in  the 
various  colleges,  and  that  influence  could  best  be 
gained  and  kept  by  the  exercise  of  some  sort  of  control 
over  their  internal  politics.  Moreover,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  Masters  of  Trinity,  Jesus,  and  Magdalene, 
the  Heads  of  Houses  were  elected  by  their  Fellows; 
and,  as  the  Heads  wielded  considerable  power  in  the 
university,  it  was  clearly  to  the  Duke's  advantage  that 
they  should  be  friendly  to  his  interests. 

Thus  he  might  appear  to  be  between  the  horns  of 
a  dilemma.  If  he  intervened  in  college  business  he  ran 
a  serious  risk  of  encountering  a  rebuff,  and  if  he  pursued 
a  policy  of  strict  non-intervention  there  was  a  real  danger 
of  his  power  in  the  university  lacking  foundation.  The 
dilemma  however  was  more  apparent  than  real,  since 
it  was  possible  for  a  Chancellor,  who  knew  his  business, 
to  exercise  an  influence  in  the  colleges  without  too 
ostentatiously  appearing  to  do  so.  It  has  already  been 
mentioned  that  in  his  management  of  university  busi- 
ness Newcastle  depended  to  a  great  extent  upon  trusty 
friends  at  Cambridge  who  were  aware  of  his  wishes  and 
worked  for  their  accomplishment;  and  he  pursued  much 
the  same  method  with  regard  to  the  colleges.  Backhouse 
in  Trinity,  Talbot  in  Clare,  Yonge  and  Caryl  in  Jesus, 
Green  in  Corpus,  Rutherforth  in  St  John's,  and  Marriott 
in  Trinity  Hall,  were  his  agents  in  their  respective 
colleges;  and  though  it  is  only  occasionally  and  when 
times  are  critical  that  we  hear  of  their  activities,  it  may 
fairly  be  assumed  that  they  were  constantly  working  to 
mould  their  colleges  nearer  to  the  Duke's  desire.  The 
work  demanded  uncommon  tact  and  discrimination, 
and  was  by  no  means  always  successfully  performed; 


PLATE   IV 


LVXFORI)  CARYL 

MAsri:R  OK  ji-;srs  foi.  i.  i;c,  i;,  tw  m  I'.ri  dgk  (173S  si) 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  233 

but  if  Newcastle  had  been  denied  such  assistance,  his 
hold  upon  the  colleges,  and  consequently  his  hold  upon 
the  university,  would  have  been  very  much  less  than 
it  was. 

It  must  not  be  imagined  however  that  the  system 
was  completely  organised,  and  that  the  Duke  had  a 
representative  in  every  college.  He  does  not  appear  to 
have  ever  established  a  foothold  in  either  Caius  or 
Emmanuel  which  were  both  reputed  strongholds  of 
toryism;  and  though  it  is  perhaps  not  surprising  that 
he  failed  to  weaken  the  authority  of  Dr  Richardson, 
the  tory  Master  of  Emmanuel,  he  might  have  been 
expected  to  be  more  successful  in  Caius  where  for  a 
time  his  loyal  supporter.  Sir  Thomas  Gooch,  Bishop 
of  Ely,  was  Master.  It  seems  however  that  Gooch,  if 
he  made  the  attempt,  was  signally  unsuccessful  in  con- 
verting his  Fellows  to  his  own  way  of  thinking;  and 
it  is  significant  that  when  he  died  in  1754  Newcastle 
apparently  made  no  attempt  to  prevent  the  election  into 
the  mastership  of  James  Burrough  whom  he  regarded 
with  profound  suspicion.  It  is  even  still  more  significant 
that  when  Burrough  died  in  1764,  at  a  particularly 
critical  moment  in  the  High  Steward  controversy, 
Newcastle  seems  never  for  a  moment  to  have  con- 
templated the  possibility  of  influencing  the  election  of 
the  new  Master.  He  doubtless  realised  that  there  was 
nothing  to  be  done  in  a  college  which  had  only  pro- 
duced one  vote  in  support  of  Lord  Hardwicke's  Grace; 
but  his  complete  acquiescence  in  a  policy  of  inaction 
vividly  illustrates  his  impotence.  Given  a  favourable 
opportunity  he  would  not  have  hesitated  to  plant  his 
banner  in  both  Caius  and  Emmanuel;  but  he  needed 
for  the  success  of  the  operation  a  powerful  ally  within 
the  gates,  and  was  apparently  unable  to  find  him. 

Caius  and  Emmanuel  were  not  the  only  societies  in 
which  Newcastle  had  little  or  no  influence;  for  we  hear 


234    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

singularly  little  of  his  relations  with  Pembroke  and 
St  Catharine's,  and  it  seems  unlikely  that  he  had  a 
following  in  either  of  these  colleges.  The  argument 
from  silence  is,  however,  admittedly  dangerous,  and 
inasmuch  as  Newcastle  would  prefer  to  remain  in  the 
background  as  far  as  possible,  it  is  quite  possible  that 
his  influence  was  most  effective  when  it  was  least 
apparent.  There  is  for  instance  no  indication  that  when 
in  1754  Dr  Rooke  was  succeeded  in  the  mastership 
of  Christ's  by  Hugh  Thomas,  the  Duke  intervened  in 
any  way;  but  it  may  well  be  that  the  Fellows  of  Christ's 
had  been  so  carefully  trained  by  Dr  Rooke  that  they 
could  be  safely  trusted  not  to  elect  a  Master  who  would 
be  displeasing  to  the  Chancellor.  Nor  is  there  any 
evidence  of  external  pressure  upon  the  Fellows  of 
Queens'  when  in  1760  they  had  to  appoint  a  successor 
to  Dr  Sedgwick  who  had  been  their  President  for 
nearly  thirty  years.  Newcastle  was  promptly  informed 
that  *a  major  part  of  the  society... are  determined  in 
favour  of  Dr  Plumptre,...the  junior  of  that  name  who 
is  rector  of  Wimpole^, '  and  it  would  have  indeed  been 
surprising  if  he  had  been  unable  to  extend  a  cordial 
welcome  to  Lord  Hardwicke's  rector^.  It  is  therefore 
possible  that  the  Fellows  of  Christ's  and  the  Fellows 
of  Queens'  were  such  loyal  courtiers  as  to  anticipate 
the  ducal  wishes;  but,  if  so,  they  were  exceptionable, 
and  it  certainly  would  be  a  great  blunder  to  imagine 
that  Newcastle  disposed  of  masterships  of  colleges  like 
places  in  the  church  or  sinecure  offices  in  the  gift  of 
the  government.  He  naturally  wished  to  have  as  many 
friends  as  possible  among  the  Heads  of  Houses;  but 

1  Add.  MS.  32914,  f.  60. 

2  A  certain  Mr  Manning,  an  ex-Fellow  of  Queens',  thought  of 
standing  for  the  Presidency  against  Plumptre,  but  quickly  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  he  would  be  unable  even  to  put  up  a  respectable  fight. 
Add.  MS.  32914,  f  116,  see  also  f.  29,  f.  58,  f  94. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  235 

he  had  to  tread  warily,  and  was  well  aware  that  the 
display  of  indiscreet  activity  would  be  the  surest  way 
of  defeating  the  end  he  had  in  view. 

It  is  indeed  extremely  difficult,  if  not  impossible, 
to  estimate  with  any  accuracy  the  extent  to  which  he 
interfered  in  the  domestic  affairs  of  the  different  col- 
leges. There  is  good  ground  for  thinking  that  the  inter- 
ference was  occasional  and  for  the  most  part  confined 
to  the  elections  to  masterships;  but  it  is  dangerous  to 
be  more  precise,  and  it  is  certainly  not  safe  to  lay  down 
as  a  general  rule  that  he  never  allowed  the  election  of  a 
Master  to  pass  without  his  intervention.  It  is  moreover 
quite  certain  that  much  must  have  happened  of  which 
we  know  little  or  nothing,  and  it  would  be  idle  to 
pretend  that  we  have  plumbed  to  their  depths  the  sub- 
terraneous intrigues  that  were  carried  on.  We  know 
enough  however  to  be  perfectly  sure  that  Newcastle 
was  never  indifferent  to  the  choice  of  a  Head  of  a 
House,  and  that  on  occasions  he  was  prepared  to  go 
to  great  lengths  to  secure  a  suitable  appointment.  Some- 
times his  task  was  comparatively  easy,  as  in  the  case 
of  the  mastership  of  Jesus  which  was  in  the  gift  of 
the  Bishop  of  Ely,  and  was  conferred  in  succession  upon 
Dr  Yonge  and  Dr  Caryl,  two  of  the  most  trusted  of 
Newcastle's  Cambridge  supporters.  Yonge  was  ap- 
pointed by  Sir  Thomas  Gooch,  and,  in  view  of  the 
cordial  relations  between  the  Bishop  and  the  Duke,  it 
is  probable  that  Yonge  owed  his  good  fortune  to  the 
favour  he  enjoyed  with  the  Chancellor.  But  though  this 
is  no  more  than  a  surmise,  we  can  at  least  be  certain 
that  Yonge's  successor,  Caryl,  was  deeply  indebted  for 
his  advancement  to  Newcastle. 

'  I  have  the  satisfaction  of  acquainting  your  Grace '  he  wrote 
to  his  patron  on  July  14th,  1758,  'that  yesterday  the  Bishop  of 
Ely^  was  so  kind  as  to  collate  me  to  the  mastership  of  Jesus 

^   Matthias  Mawson,  who  had  succeeded  Gooch  as  Bishop  of  Ely. 


236    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

college.   My  earliest  and  best  thanks  are  due  to  your  Grace  for 
your  kind  and  effectual  recommendation  of  me  to  his  Lordship^' 

It  was  easy  enough  for  Newcastle,  especially  when 
he  controlled  the  distribution  of  the  crown's  ecclesiastical 
patronage,  to  influence  the  appointment  to  a  master- 
ship which  was  in  the  gift  of  a  bishop;  but  the  game 
was  more  intricate  and  success  less  certain  when  the 
electors  were  the  Fellows  of  a  college,  jealous  of  their 
independence.  Yet  the  stories  of  the  election  of  Dr  Green 
as  Master  of  Corpus  in  1750,  and  of  Dr  Law's  election 
as  Master  of  Peterhouse  in  1754,  suggest  that,  though 
the  game  was  tricky,  it  was  possible  to  play  it  with 
success.  On  the  death  of  Edmund  Castle,  Master  of 
Corpus  in  1 750,  the  Fellows  were  unanimous  in  wishing 
to  elect  Charles  Skottowe,  President  of  the  society,  as 
their  Master,  but  Skottowe  declined  the  honour,  and 
as  the  Fellows  could  not  agree  upon  any  other  candidate, 
a  certain  number  of  them  appealed  to  Thomas  Herring, 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  to  recommend  them  a  suit- 
able Master.  It  was  quite  natural  that  they  should  turn 
in  their  difficulty  to  the  Archbishop  who  had  been  a 
Fellow  and  Tutor  of  the  college  and  continued  to  take 
a  friendly  interest  in  its  welfare;  but  it  is  at  first  sight 
somewhat  surprising  that  the  Archbishop  should  have 
advised  them  to  go  outside  their  own  body  and  choose 
as  their  Master,  John  Green,  Fellow  of  St  John's  and 
Regius  Professor  of  Divinity^.  As  might  have  been 
anticipated,  the  suggestion  was  not  received  with  favour, 
except  by  those  Fellows  who  were  responsible  for  the 
appeal,  but,  as  they  were  the  majority,  Green  was  duly 

^  Add.  MS.  32881,  f.  317.  On  the  occasion  when  Yonge  was 
appointed  Master,  Newcastle  wrote  to  the  Bishop  on  behalf  of  Caryl; 
but  it  is  likely  that  he  also  wrote  on  behalf  of  Yonge,  and  possibly  gave 
him  the  preference.  Add.  MS.  32878,  f.  397. 

2  The  Archbishop's  letter  is  printed  in  Nichols'  Illustrations  of  the 
Literary  History  of  the  Eighteenth  Century,  vi,  794. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  237 

elected  into  the  mastership.  It  is  not  improbable  that 
the  Archbishop's  recommendation  was  inspired  by  Lord 
Hardwicke,  and  that,  when  the  Fellows  appealed  to 
Lambeth,  they  were  not  acting  on  a  sudden  impulse 
but  executing  a  carefully  thought  out  scheme.  Lord 
Hardwicke  was  intimate  with  Herring  whose  patron 
he  had  been  in  early  days^,  and  as  he  was  also  the  patron 
of  Green,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  he  inspired  the  Arch- 
bishop's recommendation.  And  it  may  well  be  that  the 
appeal  was  engineered  with  the  sole  object  of  securing 
Green's  appointment.  Many  months  before  his  death 
Castle  was  known  to  be  in  failing  health;  and  a  letter, 
written  in  1749  by  Edmund  Pyle,  whose  son  was  a 
Fellow  of  Corpus,  to  the  Archbishop,  certainly  suggests 
that  an  intrigue  was  on  foot  in  which  Herring  was 
playing  a  leading  part. 

'I  no  sooner'  wrote  Edmund  Pyle  to  the  Archbishop  're- 
ceived the  great  favour  of  your  Grace's  kind  and  good  letter 
than  I  w^rote  to  the  person  intimated  therein,  and  deferred  my 
dutiful  answer  to  it  no  longer  than  till  I  was  enabled  to  acquaint 
you  with  his  truly  filial  reply  that  he  should  never  find  greater 
pleasure  than  that  of  complying  with  every  desire  of  a  father 
and  the  honourable  friends  of  that  father.  Meantime,  I  am 
sorry  for  the  ill  state  of  my  friend  C— st— 1  which  gives  occasion 
to  this  affair  2.' 

It  can  be  taken  for  certain  that  the  'person  intimated 
therein'  was  Pyle's  son,  the  Fellow  of  Corpus,  and  it 
is  not  far  fetched  to  assume  that  'the  truly  filial  reply' 
was  a  promise  to  obey  the  Archbishop's  wishes  in  the 
event  of  the  Mastership  falling  vacant. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  Newcastle  was  privy  to 
whatever  intrigue  there  was,  and  that  he  and  Hardwicke 
had  agreed  upon  securing  the  mastership  of  Corpus  for 

^  Life  of  Lord  Chancellor  Hardwicke,  by  P.  C.  Yorke,  i,  422. 
2  Master's  History  of  Corpus  Christi  College,  with  additional  matter 
by  John  Lamb,  p.  240,  note  A. 


238    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

a  friend  whom  they  could  trust.  It  is  possible  that  Green 
was  imposed  upon  the  society  with  the  express  object 
of  disciplining  it  in  loyalty  to  the  Chancellor  and  the 
whig  faith;  and,  if  so,  the  object  was  obtained,  for 
nowhere  in  the  university  had  the  Duke  greater  in- 
fluence than  in  Corpus.  It  has  already  been  mentioned 
that  when  Green  retired  from  the  mastership  in  1764, 
the  Fellows,  by  previous  arrangement,  obediently  elected 
in  his  place,  Barnardiston,  who  could  be  relied  upon  to 
further  the  Chancellor's  interests:  and  the  ease,  with 
which  this  transference  of  power  was  effected,  is  a 
tribute  to  the  value  of  the  work  achieved  by  the  retiring 
Master.  The  story  of  the  election  of  Dr  Law  as  Master 
of  Peterhouse  resembles  in  certain  particulars  the  history 
of  Green's  introduction  to  Corpus,  and  provides  a  further 
illustration  of  the  Duke's  wishes  being  taken  into  account 
in  the  appointment  of  a  Master.  Dr  Keene,  Bishop  of 
Chester,  did  not  retire  from  the  mastership  of  Peter- 
house  until  1754:  but  as  early  as  1752  he  had  already 
decided  that  his  successor  should  be  Edmund  Law, 
Archdeacon  of  Carlisle,  and  was  busily  engaged  in  per- 
suading his  Fellows  to  pledge  their  votes  beforehand. 
As  Law  had  no  connection  with  Peterhouse,  having 
been  an  undergraduate  at  St  John's  and  a  Fellow  of 
Christ's,  he  was  not  exactly  a  strong  candidate:  but 
Keene  wanted  the  Archdeaconry  of  Carlisle  for  his 
brother  in  law,  Venn  Eyre,  and,  believing  Law  to  be 
a  sound  whig  who  would  be  faithful  to  Newcastle,  he 
decided  to  support  him.  But  skill  and  management 
were  needed  to  overcome  the  objection  taken  to  Law 
as  an  alien,  and  it  is  possible  that  Keene  intentionally 
delayed  his  resignation  until  he  had  made  sure  of  his 
candidate's  election. 

'I  have  begun'  he  wrote  to  Newcastle  on  June  27th,  1752, 
'to  open  the  affair  of  my  resignation  to  some  part  of  the  society, 
and  find  that  it  will  be  a  more  difficult  matter  than  I  expected. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES    239 

The  society  is  young  and  unacquainted  with  Dr  Law,  and  the 
business  of  recommending  a  stranger  is  become  very  invidious 
since  the  affair  of  Benet  college.  It  is  natural  for  Mr  Stuart, 
who  is  the  principal  person  with  whom  I  am  to  treat,  to  think 
that,  having  made  one  Master,  should  he  be  employed  in  making 
another,  some  douceurs  are  to  be  expected.  And  indeed,  con- 
sidering the  part  he  has  acted  in  overthrowing  the  old  system  of 
the  college  and  establishing  the  new  one,  he  is  certainly  deserving 
of  favours.  If  your  Grace  will  be  so  good  as  to  continue  your 
disposition  to  serve  him  with  the  living  of  Ashen  in  Essex,  I 
would  afterwards,  as  opportunity  would  offer  to  me,  take  him  up^.' 

A  few  months  after  this  letter  was  written,  Stuart 
obtained  a  dispensation  to  hold  the  rectory  of  Ashdon 
with  the  vicarage  of  Steeple  Bumpstead^,  and  in  1754 
Law  was  elected  Master  of  Peterhouse,  resigning  the 
Archdeaconry  of  Carlisle  which  was  conferred  upon 
Venn  Eyre. 

It  is  noteworthy  that  Dr  Law  was  appointed  Master 
of  Peterhouse  and  Dr  Green  was  appointed  Master 
of  Corpus  as  the  result  of  a  college  intrigue  in  which 
the  Chancellor  was  not  directly  involved,  though  un- 
doubtedly his  wishes  had  great  weight  with  the  electors. 
On  both  occasions  he  had  the  good  fortune  to  have  a 
friend,  upon  whom  he  could  implicitly  rely,  and  who  was 
in  close  touch  with  the  Fellows;  and  there  can  be  no 
question  that  from  Newcastle's  point  of  view  such  a 
method  of  procedure  was  ideal.  He  was  saved  the  odium 
which  would  arise  from  intervention,  and  was  able  to 
secure  the  election  he  desired,  without  having  to  espouse 
the  cause  of  one  particular  candidate  and  thereby 
cause  offence  to  others  who,  rightly  or  wrongly,  con- 
sidered that  they  had  an  equal  claim  upon  his  favour. 
Indeed,  when  he  could  safely  do  so,  he  had  every  in- 
ducement to  remain  as  much  as  possible  in  the  back- 

1  Add.  MS.  32728,  f.  127.  Charles  Stuart  had  been  elected  to  a 
Fellowship  in  1740  and  was  a  Tutor  for  several  years. 
-  Gentleman  s  Magazine  for  1753,  p.  345. 


240  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

ground;  and,  if  he  had  needed  a  lesson  in  the  dangers 
of  interference,  he  would  have  received  it  in  the  last 
years  of  his  Chancellorship  when  he  found  himself  com- 
pelled to  take  a  hand  in  the  election  of  a  Master  of 
St  John's. 

When  Newcastle  became  Chancellor  the  Master  of 
St  John's  was  Dr  John  Newcome  who  was  a  loyal  and 
enthusiastic  supporter  of  the  Duke,  and  had  specially 
distinguished  himself  by  his  zealous  opposition  to  the 
candidature  of  Frederick,  Prince  of  Wales.  As  St  John's 
was  the  largest  college  in  the  university,  and  had  no 
rival  in  size  or  influence  except  Trinity,  it  was  no  small 
gain  to  Newcastle  to  have  Newcome  among  his  most 
fervent  adherents,  especially  as  his  relations  with  Trinity 
were  never  from  the  first  completely  satisfactory,  and 
became  decidedly  strained  after  the  whig  predominance 
in  the  state  had  been  shattered  by  George  IIL  It  may 
be  that  it  was  impossible  for  a  Chancellor  to  be  on 
intimate  terms  with  Trinity  and  St  John's,  so  bitter  was 
the  feud    between   the   two   colleges^;   but,   if  it   was 

^  A  letter  from  Dr  Smith,  Master  of  Trinity,  to  Newcastle,  dated 
June  27th,  1751,  affords  a  vivid  illustration  of  the  feelings  of  Trinity 
towards  St  John's. '  Last  post '  wrote  the  Master  '  I  received  Mr  Robinson's 
letter  sent  me  from  Cambridge  by  Dr  Wilson,  as  your  Grace  had  ordered 
him.  I  have  not  the  honour  to  know  much  of  Mr  Robinson  but  surely 
he  does  me  too  great  an  honour  to  employ  your  Grace  and  Mr  Pelham 
to  sollicit  me  for  a  poor  butler's  place  as  he  calls  it.  I  am  always  ready, 
as  I  ought,  to  serve  your  Grace  and  Mr  Pelham,  otherwise  it  would 
be  indifferent  to  me  whoever  is  to  be  our  butler,  provided  he  be  but  a 
honest  man.  But  your  Grace  may  remember  perhaps  that  St  John's 
college  always  looked  upon  themselves  as  the  rivals  of  Trinity,  the 
next  great  college  in  the  university.  And  the  humour,  I  find,  is  still  so 
prevalent  among  us  that  I  much  question  whether  the  generality  of  my 
Fellows  will  not  be  very  much  averse  to  Mr  Robinson's  friend  on  that 
very  account  of  his  coming  from  St  John's;  and  I  am  not  sure  whether 
some  of  the  higher  spirits  among  them  would  not  sooner  quarrel  with 
their  bread  and  butter  than  receive  it  from  the  hands  of  a  Johnian 
butler.'  Add.  MS.  32724,  f.  406. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES    241 

possible,  the  role  was  too  difficult  for  the  Duke  to  play, 
and  he  had  to  be  content  with  fostering  his  influence 
in  St  John's  through  Dr  Newcome.  Hence  it  must  have 
been  with  interest  not  unmixed  with  alarm  that  he 
heard  in  September  1758  that  Dr  Newcome  was 
dangerously  ill. 

'I  think  it  my  duty  to  inform  your  Grace'  wrote  the  Master 
of  Christ's  'that  the  Master  of  St  John's  college  has  been 
indisposed  for  about  a  week.  His  disorder  is  the  hickups  which 
have  in  some  fits  held  him  ten  or  twelve  hours.  And  last  night 
they  returned  with  some  violence.  This  day  his  physician, 
Doctor  Plumptre,  finding  the  medicine  he  had  prescribed  did 
not  take  effect,  and  observing  a  kind  of  periodical  return  of  the 
illness,  has  given  him  the  bark  which,  according  to  the  account 
which  I  received  this  morning  at  eleven  o'clock,  sits  easy  on  his 
stomach.  But  if  the  bark  should  not  succeed  I  should  apprehend 
there  will  be  danger  in  the  case^' 

The  three  most  likely  candidates  for  the  mastership 
in  the  event  of  Dr  Newcome's  death  were  Dr  Zachary 
Brooke,  Dr  Powell,  and  Professor  Rutherforth.  Brooke 
and  Powell  were  the  two  Tutors  of  the  college,  and 
Rutherforth  had  held  the  same  office  from  1740  to 
1751 :  but  an  ex-Tutor  is  comparable  with  a  dead  lion; 
and  of  the  three  candidates  Brooke  and  Powell  had 
far  better  prospects  of  success  than  Rutherforth.  To 
secure  election  it  was  necessary  to  obtain  the  votes  of 
at  least  more  than  half  the  number  of  Fellows;  and  as 
at  this  particular  time  there  were  forty-eight  Fellows  of 
the  college,  the  candidate  who  could  confidently  count 
upon  twenty-five  votes  was  certain  of  election.  Dr  Brooke 
was  apparently  of  the  opinion  that  if  the  contest  was 
only  between  him  and  Powell  he  could  make  sure  of 
this  necessary  minimum"^:  and  as  he  was  a  supporter 
of  the  Duke,  and  Powell  was  a  leading  member  of  the 

1  Add.  MS.  32884,  f.  51. 

2  Add.  MS.  32884,  f.  53,  f.  73,  f.  92. 

w  c  c  16 


242  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

opposition  party  in  the  university,  he  not  unreasonably 
expected  to  receive  the  Chancellor's  assistance  if  the 
mastership  fell  vacant.  He  perceived  however  that  his 
chance  of  success  would  be  seriously  diminished  if 
Professor  Rutherforth  stood  for  election;  for  though 
Rutherforth  had  a  scanty  following  in  the  college  and 
was  not  at  all  likely  to  secure  the  mastership,  there  was 
a  serious  danger  that,  if  he  came  forward  as  a  candidate, 
he  would  secure  a  certain  number  of  votes  which  would 
otherwise  be  given  to  Brooke,  which  might  result  in 
none  of  the  three  competitors  securing  the  necessary 
minimum,  in  which  event  the  appointment  would  lapse 
to  the  eight  senior  Fellows.  It  was  clearly  of  great 
importance  to  Brooke  that  Rutherforth  should  not  be 
a  candidate;  and  he  therefore  appealed  to  Newcastle 
to  dissuade  the  Professor  from  standing  for  election. 

'I  have,  my  Lord,'  he  wrote  on  September  20th,  1758,  'very 
carefully  examined  the  state  of  my  interest  in  the  college  upon 
a  supposition  that  the  mastership  was  now  to  be  vacant:  and, 
as  far  as  I  can  judge,  and  I  would  not  deceive  your  Grace  or 
myself  in  this  matter,  I  have  nothing  to  apprehend  from  a 
competition  with  Dr  Powell,  provided  my  interest  is  not  broke 
in  upon  from  any  other  quarter.  For  out  of  forty-eight  votes, 
the  present  number  of  electing  Fellows,  I  have  twenty-five  that 
I  can  depend  upon  against  him,  and  he  has  only  sixteen  that  he 
can  depend  upon  against  me.  And  I  can  venture  to  say  out  of  the 
remaining  votes,  which  I  consider  at  present  as  dubious,  I  have 
much  the  greatest  likelyhood  of  a  majority  in  my  favour.  As  this 
is  a  true  state  of  the  case,  my  Lord,  as  far  as  I  and  my  friends 
can  determine  from  repeated  surveys  of  the  college,  I  shall  hope 
for  your  Grace's  countenance  and  favour.  For  that  would  put 
the  affair  out  of  all  dispute^.' 

If  the  contest  had  only  been  between  Brooke  and 
Powell,  Newcastle  would  not  have  hesitated  between 
the  candidates,  for  he  certainly  had  no  wish  to  see  an 
enemy  installed  as  Master  of  one  of  the  most  influential 

1  Add.  MS.  32884,  f.  92. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  243 

colleges  in  the  university.  The  situation  however  was 
unfortunately  not  quite  so  simple.  Rutherforth,  who 
from  being  an  opponent  had  recently  become  an  ally 
of  the  Duke,  might  presumably  relapse  into  his  former 
hostility  if  commanded  to  forego  an  opportunity  of 
securing  the  mastership :  and,  if  he  stood  for  election, 
it  would  not  be  easy  for  Newcastle  to  discriminate 
between  him  and  Brooke.  Both  were  his  friends  and 
would  expect  his  assistance;  and  the  Chancellor  might 
easily  find  himself  in  the  position  of  Captain  Macheath 
between  Polly  and  Lucy.  This  situation  never  arose, 
for  Dr  Newcome  made  a  speedy  recovery;  but  while 
that  recovery  was  still  uncertain  Newcastle  had  already 
indicated  the  policy  he  would  probably  pursue  in  the 
event  of  a  fatal  issue  to  Dr  Newcome's  illness.  His  main 
anxiety  was  to  prevent  at  all  cost  Powell's  election;  and 
he  therefore  through  Dr  Yonge  specially  charged  his 
true  friends  not  so  to  'differ  amongst  themselves  as  to 
let  Dr  Powell  avail  himself  of  their  dissentions,'  adding 
however  that  between  Brooke  and  Rutherforth  he 
desired  to  be  neutral^.  The  Duke  was  clearly  opposed 
to  a  three-cornered  contest,  fearing  that  it  might  result 
in  Powell  carrying  off"  the  prize,  and  as  it  was  quite 
certain  that  Brooke  had  many  more  supporters  in  the 
college  than  Rutherforth,  Newcastle's  wishes,  as  ex- 
pressed through  Dr  Yonge,  were  interpreted  as  a  sug- 
gestion that  Rutherforth  should  retire  in  favour  of 
Brooke.  Not  only  was  Rutherforth  told  by  some  of 
the  Newcastle  party  in  the  university  that  the  Duke  was 
in  favour  of  his  rival'^,  but  Brooke  himself  was  assiduous 
in  proclaiming  the  same  fact. 

'It  was  generally,  I  may  say  universally,  understood'  wrote 
Dr  Yonge  in  after  years  'that  your  Grace  did  actually  take  a 
part  at  that  time  and  support  Dr  Brooke.  He  made  no  scruple  to 
say  so  lO  everyone,  and  was  perpetually  with  my  Lord  Kinnoull 

1  Add.  MS.  32884,  f.  88.  2  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  343. 

16—2 


244  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

and  me  with  his  lists  and  his  calculations.  I  have  really  forgotten 
(for  it  is  four  years  ago  if  not  more)  how  far  your  Grace  did 
really  support  him.  But  I  am  sure  the  Professor  believes  you 
did  most  entirely,  and  so  do  all  the  university^  ' 

It  is  probable  that  the  Professor  and  the  university 
were  right,  and  that  the  Chancellor  desired  a  straight 
fight  between  Brooke  and  Powell;  but  as  Dr  Newcome 
regained  his  health  and  continued  Master,  the  Duke's 
plan  of  campaign  was  never  fully  revealed.  It  is  not 
apparent  that  he  could  have  steered  any  other  course; 
but  the  incident  affords  an  useful  illustration  of  the 
difficulties  which  beset  him  when  he  had  to  play  a  part 
in  college  politics.  In  order  to  make  certain  of  Powell's 
defeat  Rutherforth's  ambition  had  to  be  sacrificed :  and, 
however  sound  the  policy,  the  victim  was  not  un- 
naturally a  little  sore.  After  the  crisis  was  passed, 
Rutherforth  in  a  letter  to  Newcastle  contended  that  he 
would  have  certainly  succeeded  against  Powell  if  Brooke 
had  not  stood,  and  that  if  the  contest  had  been  only 
between  Powell  and  Brooke  the  former  would  have 
been  victorious^:  and  though  he  was  singular  in  this 
opinion,  he  may  be  excused  for  holding  it  and  for 
believing  that  the  Chancellor  had  acted  with  un- 
becoming partiality.  Rutherforth  indeed  felt  he  had  a 
grievance,  and  it  was  perhaps  wise  of  Newcastle  to 
refrain  from  replying  to  his  letter^;  but  when  on  a 
sudden  illness  of  Dr  Newcome  in  December  1761, 
Rutherforth  again  appealed  to  the  Duke  and  again 
received  no  answer^,  he  must  have  felt  that  he  was  being 
very  badly  treated.  It  must  have  been  difficult  for  him 
to  realise  that  his  patron  had  a  difficult  game  to  play 
and  could  not  possibly  allow  personal  considerations  to 
influence  his  strategy;  and  it  is  to  the  credit  of  his 

1  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  418.  2  Add.  MS.  32886,  f.  149. 

3  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  343. 

*  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  343;  Add.  MS.  32932,  f.  445. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  245 

loyalty  that  in  spite  of  these  disappointments  he  remained 
an  unswerving  supporter  of  the  Chancellor  and  actively 
supported  Lord  Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the  High 
Stewardship. 

Such  constancy  was  the  more  remarkable  from  being 
exceptional.  When  the  acid  test  of  the  succession  to  the 
High  Stewardship  was  applied,  Dr  Brooke  showed  his 
gratitude  for  the  favours  he  had  received  by  enlisting 
under  the  banner  of  Lord  Sandwich,  while  an  exactly 
opposite  course  was  pursued  by  Dr  Powell  who  for- 
swore his  hostility  to  the  Duke  and  actively  canvassed 
on  behalf  of  Lord  Hardwicke.  It  is  possible  that  both 
men  were  influenced  by  the  same  well-founded  belief 
that  Dr  Newcome,  who  was  over  eighty  by  that  time, 
was  not  much  longer  for  this  life,  and  that  therefore 
it  behoved  them  to  choose  the  patron  most  likely  to 
advance  their  interests  in  the  event  of  the  mastership 
falling  vacant.  About  August  1764  Powell  seems  to 
have  definitely  asked  Newcastle  to  support  his  claims 
to  the  mastership,  and  received  a  most  gratifying  reply. 

'I  shall  be  extremely  happy'  wrote  the  Duke  'whenever  I 
have  an  opportunity,  to  shew  my  grateful  sense  of  the  obligations 
I  have  to  you,  and  I  can  never  wish  dignity  and  power  to  be 
placed  in  better  hands  than  yours,  and  shall  be  always  glad  to 
contribute  to  it  v/herever  and  whenever  I  can^' 

It  was  perhaps  rather  indiscreet  of  Newcastle  to  be 
quite  so  effusive  over  the  repentant  sinner;  for  it  was 
by  no  means  certain  that  Powell  would  prove  himself 
as  strong  a  candidate  as  he  had  been  expected  to  be 
on  a  previous  occasion.  In  1761  he  had  relinquished 
his  Tutorship  and  quitted  Cambridge  for  London,  and 
two  years  later  had  resigned  his  Fellowship;  and  though 
he  still  retained  a  considerable  following  in  the  college, 
his  influence  was  presumably  not  quite  what  it  had 
been.  Newcastle  moreover  should  have  remembered  the 

1  Add.  MS.  32961,  f.  269;  see  also  f.  220. 


246  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

claims  of  Rutherforth  who  had  remained  true  to  the 
whig  cause  when  so  many  had  deserted  it,  and  it  is 
possible  that  when  he  gave  Powell  an  assurance  of  his 
support,  he  was  not  expecting  a  vacancy  in  the  master- 
ship in  the  immediate  future,  and  was  thinking  more  of 
saying  the  thing  to  please  than  of  defining  a  policy. 
Yet  by  October  1764  it  became  fairly  clear  that 
Dr  Newcome  was  nearing  his  end;  and  the  old  man, 
conscious  of  his  growing  incapacity,  expressed  the 
greatest  anxiety  to  resign  the  Lady  Margaret  Professor- 
ship of  Divinity  which  he  had  held  since  1727.  If  he 
was  permitted  to  execute  this  design,  Newcastle  would 
almost  certainly  find  himself  at  a  serious  disadvantage 
when  Newcome's  death,  which  could  not  be  far  off, 
vacated  the  mastership.  All  doctors  and  bachelors  of 
divinity  were  electors  to  the  Lady  Margaret  Professor- 
ship, and  as  the  divinity  faculty  was  more  strongly 
represented  in  St  John's  than  in  any  other  society,  that 
college  had  come  to  regard  the  professorship  as  more 
or  less  its  own  possession^.  In  the  event  of  the  professor- 
ship being  declared  vacant,  it  was  almost  certain  that 
Dr  Law,  Master  of  Peterhouse,  and  Dr  Brooke  would 
come  forward  as  candidates,  and  whereas  Brooke  would 
look  for  support  to  his  patron.  Lord  Sandwich,  Law 
would  appeal  to  Newcastle.  There  could  be  no  doubt 
that  Sandwich  would  use  what  influence  he  possessed 
on  Brooke's  behalf,  and  the  fact  that  he  supported  a 
Johnian  candidate  would  possibly  gain  him  many  fol- 

^  In  November  1764  the  number  of  electors  to  the  Lady  Margaret 
Professorship  were  102,  of  which  36  were  in  St  John's  and  25  in 
Trinity,  1 2  in  Queens',  7  in  Emmanuel,  6  in  Corpus,  4  in  Clare, 
3  in  Christ's,  2  in  King's,  2  in  Caius,  2  in  St  Catharine's,  i  in  Jesus, 
I  in  Magdalene  and  i  in  Sidney.  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  330.  Writing 
on  November  17th,  1764,  to  the  Master  of  Corpus,  an  old  Johnian, 
Newcastle  remarks  'you  gentlemen  of  St  John's,  having  so  many 
batchelors  of  divinity,  look  upon  yourselves  to  have  a  right  to  that 
professorship.'  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  17. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES    247 

lowers  in  St  John's  and  enable  him  to  intervene  with 
telling  effect  when  Dr  Newcome's  death  necessitated 
an  election  of  a  new  Master.  Newcastle  was  in  a  very 
different  and  a  far  more  difficult  position.  The  Master 
of  Peterhouse  had  undeniable  claims  upon  his  assistance, 
and  his  claims  would  certainly  be  favoured  by  many  of 
the  leaders  of  Newcastle's  party  in  Cambridge^:  but, 
though  he  had  been  an  undergraduate  of  St  John's,  he 
had  never  been  a  Fellow  of  the  college  and  had  long 
ago  severed  his  connection  with  it.  Hence  he  could  not 
be  seriously  counted  as  a  Johnian  candidate,  and  the 
Duke  by  supporting  him  would  incur  a  serious  risk 
of  undermining  his  influence  in  St  John's  at  the  very 
moment  when  it  was  most  important  for  him  to  foster 
it.  Nor  would  the  situation,  as  it  affected  the  Duke,  be 
much  improved  if,  as  would  probably  happen,  another 
candidate  appeared  who  was  both  a  Johnian  and  an 
adherent  of  the  Chancellor,  for  even  if  Newcastle 
decided  to  support  such  a  candidate  with  a  view  of 
retaining  his  hold  upon  St  John's,  it  was  by  no  means 
certain  that  he  would  be  able  to  persuade  his  friends  to 
pursue  a  similar  course,  and  it  might  therefore  well 
happen  that  the  appearance  of  a  third  candidate  would 
rent  the  Chancellor's  party  in  twain  and  throw  the 
professorship  into  the  hand  of  Dr  Brooke. 

In  view  of  the  extremely  complicated  and  difficult 
situation  which  would  thus  arise,  Newcastle  was  na- 
turally anxious  that  Dr  Nev/come  should  not  resign 
his  professorship:  and  rightly  believed  that  not  only 
would  a  serious  difficulty  be  thereby  avoided  but  a 
positive  advantage  gained.  The  greatest  disaster  that 
could  possibly  happen  would  be  for  Dr  Brooke  to 
secure  both  the  professorship  and  the  mastership;  and 
his  chance  of  doing  so  would  be  very  much  diminished 
if  both  offices  were  simultaneously  in  the  market.  Indeed 
1  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  328. 


248    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

it  was  reasonable  to  assume  that  Dr  Powell's  prospects 
of  obtaining  the  mastership  would  be  materially  im- 
proved if  his  candidature  for  that  office  coincided  with 
an  election  to  the  Lady  Margaret  Professorship :  for  his 
most  serious  competitor,  Dr  Brooke,  might  possibly  be 
bought  off  by  being  allowed  to  obtain  the  professorship. 
'The  election  of  a  Margaret  Professor  and  that  of  a  Master 
of  St  John's'  wrote  Dr  Powell  in  November  1764  'will  cer- 
tainly have  great  influence  upon  each  other.  And  therefore  I 
cannot  but  think  myself  somewhat  interested  in  them.  The 
resignation,  which  your  Grace's  letter  prevented,  would  have 
hurt  my  expectations^.' 

It  had  only  been  with  great  difficulty  that  Dr  New- 
come  had  been  prevented  from  resigning  his  professor- 
ship, and  the  success  achieved  was  only  partial.  It  is 
true  that  the  Master  was  finally  dissuaded  from  his 
intention  by  the  Duke^:  but  he  had  been  very  insistent, 
and  unfortunately  had  not  kept  his  own  counsel. 

'His  peace  of  mind,  he  says'  Talbot  informed  the  Duke  on 
October  31st,  1761,  'depends  upon  its  taking  effect.  I  have 
plied  him  as  closely  as  I  could,  but  in  the  present  low  state  of  his 
spirits  no  reasoning  has  much  influence  upon  him.  I  have  also 
called  into  my  aid,  Miss  Kirke,  a  relation  of  his  who  lives  with 
him,  and  who  has  been  a  very  faithful  assistant  to  me  in  this 
difficult  business^.  She  has  done  everything  in  her  power  and 
several  times  incurred  his  anger  by  steadily  opposing  his  design. 
Yesterday,  in  spite  of  all  her  dissuasions,  he  enclosed  his  resigna- 
tion of  the  professorship  in  a  letter  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  and 
ordered  his  footman  to  carry  it  directly.  Before  the  footman  got 
out  of  the  house  she  ventured  to  stop  him,  took  the  letter  and 
put  it  into  her  pocket.  In  the  evening  she  told  him  what  she 
had  done,  and  he  bore  it  with  less  impatience  than  could  be 
expected.  At  this  time  I  called  upon  him,  renewed  my  promise 

1  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  25. 

-  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  283,  f.  344,  f.  409. 

^  Talbot  afterwards  married  Miss  Kirke  who  was  a  co-heir  with 
Richard  Bcadon  of  the  bulk  of  Dr  Newcome's  fortune.  Baker's  History 
of  St  Johns  College,  11,  1030. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES    249 

of  preaching  his  Concio  ad  clerum,  rendering  him  any  other 
service  in  my  power,  etc.,  and  after  about  an  hour  and  half  left 
him  in  pretty  good  temper  and  spirits.  Hitherto  I  had  kept  the 
secret  of  this  design  most  religiously,  even  from  your  Grace's 
friends,  but  having  learned  from  Miss  Kirke  that  the  Master 
had  himself  communicated  it  two  [sic)  of  his  Fellows,  Dr  Ogden 
and  Mr  Cardale  (the  Bursar)^,  I  saw  that  concealment  was  no 
longer  to  be  hoped  for,  and  therefore  this  morning  went  to  the 
Bishop  of  Lincoln^  and  imparted  to  him  the  whole  affair.  He 
was  of  the  opinion  that  I  should  immediately  tell  it  to  Dr  Law 
...and  Dr  Law  wished  me  to  communicate  it  to  his  friend,  the 

Dean  of  Ely^ Having  gone  thus  far,  I  thought,  and  the  Dean 

of  Ely  thought  so  too,  that  it  would  be  right  for  me  to  tell  it 
also  to  the  Vice-Chancellor*.' 

Consequently  it  was  quickly  known  all  over  the 
university  that  Newcome  was  anxious  to  resign  his  pro- 
fessorship; and  by  November  4th  Dr  Law,  Dr  Ogden, 
and  Dr  Brooke  had  announced  their  intention  of 
standing  for  election  in  the  event  of  a  vacancy^.  Thus, 
though  the  Duke  had  succeeded  in  persuading  Dr  New- 
come  to  continue  in  his  professorship,  he  failed  to 
prevent  the  appearance  of  candidates  for  the  succession. 
Ogden  apparently  contented  himself  with  announcing 
his  intention  of  standing  and  did  not  solicit  votes,  but 
the  other  two  competitors  were  determined  to  waste 
no  time,  rightly  calculating  that,  even  if  Dr  Newcome 
did  not  resign,  it  could  not  be  long  before  he  died. 
Espousing  Dr  Brooke's  cause,  Lord  Sandwich  acted 
with  promptitude  and  vigour;  and  it  was  reported  that 
'his  applications  on  behalf  of  Dr  Brooke  are,  if  pos- 
sible, warmer  and  stronger  than  those  which  he  made 
for   himself^.'   Nor  was   Dr  Law  behindhand,  for  he 

^  Joseph  Cardale. 

^  Dr  Green,  who  had  recently  resigned  the  mastership  of  Corpus. 

^  Dr  Thomas,  Master  of  Christ's. 

■*  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  134.  ^  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  223. 

^  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  344;  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  32. 


250    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

appealed  to  Newcastle  and  Lord  Hardwicke,  sending 
them  each  a  list  of  the  electors,  'with  some  few  of 
their  connections^,'  and  went  about  the  university 
soliciting  votes  for  himself^.  It  was  certainly  not  to 
Newcastle's  interest  that  this  canvassing  should  con- 
tinue, for  he  might  be  forced  to  take  a  side  and  thereby 
diminish  his  chances  of  being  able  to  control  the  ap- 
pointment of  Dr  Newcome's  successor  in  the  master- 
ship. He  could  not  support  Dr  Law  without  imperilling 
his  influence  in  St  John's,  and  by  prematurely  com- 
mitting himself  to  Dr  Ogden  he  would  prevent  himself 
from  having  a  free  hand  to  deal  with  the  problem  of 
the  mastership  when  it  came  up  for  solution.  He  con- 
sequently played  the  waiting  game,  and,  by  persuading 
Dr  Newcome  to  announce  his  intention  of  continuing 
to  hold  the  professorship,  must  at  least  have  succeeded 
in  diminishing  the  activity  of  the  canvassing.  It  was 
unlikely  that  many  of  the  electors  would  commit  them- 
selves before  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  do  so;  and 
though  Dr  Law's  chances  of  securing  the  professorship 
were  probably  diminished  by  Newcome's  resignation 
being  deferred,  Newcastle  could  not  afford  to  weaken 
his  position  in  the  university  and  St  John's  in  order  to 
gratify  one  man's  ambition^. 

1  Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  213;  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  239,  f.  328; 
Add.  MS.  35657,  f.  212. 

2  Add.  MS.  32963,^409. 

^  In  a  letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln  Newcastle  asserted  that  he  had 
only  advised  the  postponement  of  Newcome's  resignation  in  order  that 
Law  should  have  a  better  chance  of  securing  the  professorship:  but  it 
is  not  easy  to  follow  the  reasoning.  The  main  advantage  arising  from 
the  elections  to  the  professorship  and  mastership  taking  place  con- 
currently was  that  a  competitor  for  the  mastership  might  be  persuaded 
to  forego  his  claims  by  being  allowed  to  obtain  the  professorship; 
and  as  Dr  Law  was  unlikely  to  be  a  candidate  for  the  mastership,  he 
had  nothing  to  gain  and  something  to  lose  by  the  resignation  being 
delayed.  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  17. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  251 

It  was  not  however  in  Newcastle's  power  to  pre- 
scribe the  duration  of  Dr  Newcome's  life :  and  early  in 
December  it  became  perfectly  clear  that  the  old  man's 
death  was  near  at  hand.  The  Duke  therefore  concluded 
that  it  was  time  to  make  preparations  for  securing  a 
suitable  successor  to  Newcome  in  the  mastership,  and 
though  he  was  well  aware  that  Professor  Rutherforth 
was  a  possible  candidate  and  would  expect  his  support^, 
he  informed  Dr  Powell  on  December  13th  that  the 
Master  of  St  John's  was  in  a  'very  declining  way,' 
advised  him  to  proceed  to  Cambridge  without  delay, 
and  promised  him  the  fullest  measure  of  support : 

'I  think'  he  wrote  'no  time  should  be  lost  in  taking  the 
necessary  measures  to  secure  your  interest.  I  am  ready  to  do 
whatever  you  yourself  shall  advise,  for  you  cannot  have  your  own 
interest  more  at  heart  than  I  have^.' 

Nor  were  these  merely  empty  words.  Powell  had  given 
him  a  list  of  certain  Fellows  of  St  John's,  which  showed 
that  Mr  Jenkin  might  be  influenced  by  Lord  Portmore, 
Mr  Metcalfe  by  Lord  Milton,  Mr  Todington  by  the 
Bishopof  Ely,  Mr  Ashcroft  by  Mr  Whichcot,  Mr  Loggan 
by  Mr  Jennings  of  Barkway,  and  Mr  Horseman  by 
the  Duke  of  Grafton^;  and  furnished  with  these  details 
the  Duke  at  once  began  to  discuss  plans  of  action. 

'  Pray  let  me  know  to-morrow '  he  wrote  to  Powell  on 
December  15th  'what  your  wishes  are  what  I  should  do.  In 
the  meanwhile  you  should  apply  to  everybody  yourself,  and  that 
will  help  me  in  my  applications.  A  letter  from  yourself  to  the 
Duke  of  Grafton  will  have  more  effect  than  one  from  me: 

^  See  his  letter  dated  November  5th,  1764,  and  addressed tothe  Bishop 
of  Lincoln.  Add.  MS.  32963,  t.  255.  -  Add.  MS.  32964,  f  283. 

^  Jenkin  had  acted  as  private  tutor  to  Lord  Milsington,  Lord 
Portmore's  eldest  son;  Metcalfe  was  vicar  of  Milton  Abbas  where 
Lord  Milton  had  his  country  seat;  and  Horseman  was  curateat  Houghton 
le  Spring,  of  which  the  vicar  was  Richard  Stonehewer  whose  son  had 
been  the  Duke  of  Grafton's  private  tutor  and  afterwards  became  his 
secretary. 


252  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

however  an  application  from  me  shall  not  be  wanting.  I  will 
answer  for  the  Duke  of  Cumberland  but  I  doubt  whether  he 
will  be  able  to  prevail,  as  Lord  Portmore  has  just  entered  his 
son  under  Dr  Brooke^.' 

In  thus  deciding  to  support  Dr  Powell  with  the  whole 
weight  of  his  influence,  Newcastle  was  not  acting  on 
a  sudden  resolution  but  embarking  on  a  carefully 
meditated  plan  of  campaign.  Nor  moreover  had  he 
omitted  to  take  the  claims  of  Rutherforth  into  careful 
consideration.  He  was  aware  however  that  the  Pro- 
fessor was  unable  to  count  upon  many  votes  among  the 
Fellows,  that  his  chance  of  obtaining  the  mastership 
was  very  slender,  and  that  the  probable  result  of  sup- 
porting him  would  be  to  give  the  victory  to  Dr  Brooke. 
Rutherforth  was  clearly  not  a  candidate  to  run:  but  it 
was  not  enough  to  refuse  him  support.  He  must  be 
prevented  from  standing  in  order  that  Powell's  success 
might  be  more  certain;  and,  encouraged  by  the  Bishop 
of  Lincoln  expressing  an  opinion  that  Rutherforth  did 
not  intend  to  be  a  candidate^  the  Duke  determined  to 
appeal  to  his  supporter  to  sacrifice  his  ambition  for  the 
sake  of  the  cause. 

'The  very  sincere  regard  and  esteem  which  I  have  for  you 
and  your  merit'  he  wrote  to  Rutherforth  on  December  15th 
'and  the  grateful  sense  I  have  of  the  many  obligations  which  I 
have  received  from  you,  make  me  take  the  liberty  to  trouble 
you  upon  a  subject  which  may  probably  soon  come  to  be  a  great 
object  of  our  attention.  I  mean  the  securing  a  good  Master  of 
St  John's  in  case  of  a  vacancy,  the  present  Master,  as  I  hear, 
being  in  a  very  declining  way.  My  great  object,  and  I  hope  that 
of  all  our  friends,  will  be  the  preventing  Dr  Brooke  from  suc- 
ceeding there,  for  which  purpose  my  Lord  Sandwich  will  exert 
his  utmost  endeavour  and  make  use  of  all  his  force;  but  if  our 
friends  are  so  happy  as  to  agree  in  the  person,  I  hope  they  will 
be  able  in  all  events  to  exclude  Dr  Brooke,  provided  the  person 
they  are  for  be  one  who  in  all  respects  will  fit  that  station  with 

1  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  301.  2  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  295. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  253 

ability,  integrity,  and  a  pure  zeal  for  our  cause.  There  are  cer- 
tainly those  of  that  college  who  will  answer  that  character  in 
every  respect,  and  therefore  the  consideration  is  who  is  the  most 
likely  to  succeed.  As  Dr  Powell  has  been  so  lately  Tutor  there, 
and  I  believe  has  long  had  a  view  to  the  mastership,  I  doubt 
not  but  he  has  kept  up  such  connections  with  his  pupils  and 
with  the  college  as  must  give  him  a  very  fair  chance  of  suc- 
ceeding, provided  we  with  all  our  force  do  assist  him.  If  not, 
I  should  fear  Dr  Brooke  might  carry  it,  and  then  the  three 
great  colleges,  St  John's,  Trinity  and  King's  united,  would 
undoubtedly  fling  the  university  absolutely  into  Lord  Sand- 
wich's hands,  which  I  am  sure  nobody  is  more  zealous  to 
prevent  than  yourself.  If  for  these  considerations  I  should  assist 
Dr  Powell  with  any  little  credit  I  may  have  with  any  of  the 
Fellows,  I  hope  it  would  not  be  disagreeable  to  you^.' 

It  is  never  easy  to  ask  a  man  to  play  the  part  of  a 
martyr,  and  it  is  not  surprising  that  Newcastle  found 
some  difficulty  in  composing  this  letter^.  Yet  he  per- 
formed a  delicate  task  not  ungracefully.  Without 
definitely  asking  Rutherforth  not  to  stand  for  election, 
he  pointed  out  to  him  the  path  of  duty:  and  if,  as  there 
can  be  little  doubt,  he  was  correct  in  assuming  that  it 
was  not  in  Rutherforth's  power  to  obtain  the  master- 
ship, and  that  the  utmost  he  could  do  would  be  to  damage 
Powell's  prospects,  the  sacrifice  demanded  was  not  too 
great.  Everything  had  indeed  been  done  to  spare  the 
feelings  of  the  Professor,  to  whom  Powell  had  also 
written,  'expressing'  as  he  told  Newcastle  'my  respect 
and  my  hopes  of  his  support  and  countenance  in  my 
view  of  the  mastership  if  he  has  no  thought  of  it  for 
himself^.'  But  the  best  laid  plans  often  go  sadly  astray: 
and  Rutherforth  was  found  to  be  unwillino-  to  immolate 
himself  on  the  altar  of  duty.  In  a  cool  note  addressed 
to  the  Duke  he  mentioned  that  his  previous  applica- 
tions  for   the    Chancellor's    assistance    had    been    left 

^  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  303.  2  j^^^_  MS.  32964,  f.  301. 

3  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  305. 


254  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

unnoticed,  that  'these  discouragements  have  prevented 
me  from  endeavouring  to  keep  up  such  an  interest  in 
the  college  as  I  otherwise  might  have  done';  but  that, 
having  consulted  his  friends,  he  had  been  advised  that 
his  rank  in  the  university  and  seniority  in  the  college 
compelled  him  to  stand  for  the  mastership,  and  that 
he  hoped,  'however  your  Grace  may  be  disposed  to 
favour  Dr  Powell  in  preference  to  me,  you  will  not 
blame  me  if  I  have  such  a  regard  for  my  own  family 
as  to  be  a  candidate^.'  To  Powell  Rutherforth  wrote  in 
a  similar  strain^,  and  the  Duke  saw  himself  threatened 
by  what  he  was  most  anxious  to  avoid,  a  contest  between 
two  of  his  friends. 

'The  meaning  of  my  letters  to  Powell  and  Rutherforth'  he 
declared  'was  and  is  that  the  point  to  be  agreed  upon  by  common 
friends... should  be  to  see  which  of  the  two,  Powell  or  Ruther- 
forth, is  the  most  likely  to  carry  it,  and  in  plainer  words  whether 
Dr  Rutherforth  hath  any  chance  at  all  to  carry  it.  If  that  should 
appear,  I  cannot  think  Dr  Rutherforth  will  be  so  weak  and  so 
unreasonable  as  to  stand  out,  which  must  certainly  bring  in  Dr 
Brooke^.' 

If  Rutherforth,  as  he  himself  admitted,  was  able  to 
count  upon  very  few  votes  among  the  Fellows,  his  con- 
duct may  appear  selfish  and  unreasonable:  but  it  was 
not  completely  indefensible.  He  was  doubtless  very 
much  influenced  by  the  achievement  of  Dr  Newcome 
who,  after  starting  with  only  six  certain  votes  among  the 
Fellows,  had  in  the  end  been  elected  Master*;  and 
though  Powell  not  unnaturally  was  emphatic  in  as- 
serting that  'such  a  scheme  can  hardly  take  place  twice 
in  a  century^, '  Rutherforth  may  be  excused  for  hoping 
that  history  would  repeat  itself.  Moreover,  though  he 
might  have  only  a  scanty  following  among  the  Fellows 


1  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  343. 

2  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  320, 

3  Ibid. 

*  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  322 

5  Ibid. 

THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES    255 

of  the  college,  he  was  not  without  influential  friends 
in  the  great  world,  among  whom  were  the  three  uncles 
of  the  young  Duke  of  Devonshire  and  Sir  Anthony 
Abdy  who  was  a  member  of  the  whig  opposition  party 
and  an  adherent  of  the  Cavendishes^.  It  should  further 
be  noted  that  both  Lord  Hardwicke  and  the  Bishop  of 
Lincoln,  who  still  retained  considerable  influence  in 
his  old  college,  St  John's,  informed  Powell  that  they 
would  assist  him  in  his  candidature  if  Rutherforth  did 
not  stand^,  thereby  implying  a  preference  for  the  com- 
petitor whom  the  Duke  was  so  anxious  to  discourage. 

Newcastle  was  undoubtedly  much  chagrined  by  the 
unfortunate  course  events  had  taken,  and  so  was  Powell 
who  not  only  feared  that  he  might  be  deserted  by  many 
of  the  Duke's  friends^,  but  began  to  suspect  the  loyalty 
of  the  Duke  himself.  It  was  in  vain  that  Newcastle 
assured  him  that  he  certainly  would  not  'disoblige  you 
and  Mr  Townshend*  upon  this  occasion,  whatever  the 
consequences  may  be^ ' :  an  unfortunate  phrase  in  a  letter 
of  the  Duke,  which  might  be  interpreted  as  meaning 
that  he  intended  to  be  neutral  between  the  two  candi- 
dates, and  the  fact  that  he  had  delayed  fulfilling  his 
promise  to  write  to  certain  of  his  friends  on  Powell's 
behalf,  suggested  to  the  angry  man  that  he  was  being 
betrayed  and  forsaken.  On  the  evening  of  Christmas 
Day  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  had  an  interview  with 
Powell  and  sought  to  dissipate  his  anger  and  alarm. 

'I  said  what  I  could  upon  this  occasion'  wrote  the  Bishop  to 
Newcastle,  'particularly  that  you  had  not  designed  writing  till 

1  The  Duke  of  Devonshire  at  this  time  was  a  boy  of  sixteen,  having 
succeeded  his  father  in  October  1764.  For  details  about  Sir  Anthony 
Abdy,  whose  sister  was  Rutherforth's  wife,  see  Walpole's  Memoirs  of 
the  Reign  of  George  III,  i,  284;  see  also  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  311. 

2  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  392.  '-^  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  365. 

^  For  the  connection  between  Powell  and  Charles  Townshend,  see 
ch.  II,  pp.  71-72. 

5  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  371. 


256  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

you  should  have  heard  from  Dr  Rutherforth:  that  you  expected 
Dr  Rutherforth's  letter  would  have  been  very  different  from 
what  it  was,  that  you  was  certainly  cautious  of  offending  the 
Cavenish  (sic)  family  and  Sir  Anthony  Abdy,  that  I  myself,  in 
my  letter  of  last  night  to  your  Grace,  had  quite  slighted  what 
you  said  of  a  neutrality,  having  observed  that  it  was  not  men- 
tioned by  your  Grace  with  the  force  with  which  you  expressed 
your  determination  to  oblige  Mr  Townshend  and  him^.' 

The  plea  of  the  Bishop  was  apparently  successful  with 
Powell  who  two  days  later  wrote  a  letter  of  reconcilia- 
tion to  Newcastle^,  but  now  the  Duke  in  his  turn  dis- 
played bad  temper.  'I  am  weary'  he  told  the  Bishop 
of  Norwich  'of  writing  to  Dr  Powell  since  I  find  I  am 
not  believed,  as  you  must  see  by  the  forced  unpolite 
terms  of  his  letter  to  me  this  day^';  and  he  was  probably 
not  much  comforted  by  being  told  by  the  Bishop  of 
Norwich  that  the  benefactors  of  mankind  were  pro- 
verbially the  victims  of  gross  ingratitude*. 

But,  despite  these  ebullitions  of  temper,  it  was  really 
out  of  the  question  for  Newcastle  and  Powell  to  quarrel, 
for  each  was  essential  to  the  other.  Newcastle  had  no 
intention  of  running  any  other  candidate  for  the  master- 
ship, and  Powell's  position  was  not  sufficiently  secure 
to  enable  him  to  be  indifferent  to  the  Duke's  influence. 
There  was  indeed  no  breach  and  Newcastle  never  con- 
templated deserting  his  candidate.  After  mature  con- 
sideration he  decided  to  leave  Rutherforth's  letter  un- 
answered^, and  despatched  notes  to  several  friends, 
asking  them  to  support  Powell  with  all  the  influence 
they  had^.  In  particular  he  urged  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln 
to  assist  Powell,  in  order  to  avert  the  catastrophe  of 

1  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  392. 
^  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  416;  see  also  f.  418. 
3  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  438.  4  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  457. 

^  He  wrote  a  draft  of  a  reply  which  was  not  sent;  Add.  MS.  32964, 
f.  406,  f.  438. 

^  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  422,  f.  424,  f.  426. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES    257 

St  John's  falling  into  the  hands  of  Lord  Sandwich^;  and 
though  the  Bishop  in  reply  only  undertook  not  to  assist 
Rutherforth  2,  Newcastle  cannot  be  blamed  for  not 
achieving  more  in  this  particular  quarter.  He  was  doing 
his  best  and  Powell  had  no  valid  ground  of  complaint. 

Meanwhile  Dr  Newcome  was  rapidly  dying,  and 
towards  the  end  became  a  victim  to  insane  delusions. 
On  January  8th,  1765,  Talbot  visited  him  and  found 
him  better;  but  there  was  no  hope  of  any  substantial 
improvement  and  the  end  was  only  a  matter  of  days. 

'He  takes  no  food'  reported  Talbot  'but  what  is  forced 
down,  thinking  it  in  his  present  unhappy  state  of  mind  to  be  a 
sin.  He  is  very  quiet  at  all  times,  save  w^hen  this  force  is  used 
upon  him,  and  then  he  makes  most  piteous  outcries:  but  when 
it  is  over  he  seems  to  retain  no  resentment  against  his  attendants 
who  are  constrained  to  discharge  this  unpleasing  office^.' 

Two  days  later  death  put  an  end  to  his  sufferings,  and 
the  two  great  offices  of  Master  of  St  John's  and  Lady 
Margaret  Professor  were  thrown  into  the  market  to  be 
scrambled  for.  But,  as  has  been  seen,  the  scramblers  had 
anticipated  the  signal :  and  by  the  date  of  Newcome's 
death  definite  progress  had  been  made.  With  regard  to 
the  Lady  Margaret  Professorship  it  was  clear  that  though 
Dr  Ogden  still  professed  to  be  a  candidate^,  he  was  not 
a  serious  one,  and  it  was  suspected  that  he  was  really 
aiming  at  the  mastership,  and  hoped  that,  by  setting 
up  as  a  rival  to  Dr  Law,  he  might  induce  Newcastle  to 
purchase  his  withdrawal  by  adopting  him  as  Newcome's 
successor  in  the  mastership. 

'I  suspect'  wrote  the  Master  of  Jesus  on  November  9th 
'that  he  does  not  really  aim  at  the  professorship,  but  only,  by 
making  himself  of  consequence  on  this  occasion,  to  secure  some 
other  point ^.' 

1  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  440.  2  Add.  MS.  32964,  £451. 

3  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  115. 

*  On  January  loth,  1765,  he  asked  Newcastle  to  support  him.  Add. 
MS.  32965,  f.  141.  5  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  328. 

w  u  c  17 


258  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

It  was  also  clear  that  Dr  Law  was  not  likely  to  be  suc- 
cessful against  Dr  Brooke.  His  only  hope  of  victory  lay 
in  winning  a  good  number  of  votes  in  Trinity,  and  in 
the  Johnian  vote  being  divided  between  Brooke  and 
Ogden,  but  there  was  really  very  little  prospect  of 
either  of  these  things  coming  to  pass.  Though  Law  was 
for  a  time  optimistic  about  Trinity^,  Dr  Caryl,  who  was 
a  more  impartial  judge  and  an  exceedingly  careful  cal- 
culator 2,  was  far  less  sanguine^:  and  inasmuch  as  the 
electors  in  St  John's  were  waiting  until  the  situation 
with  regard  to  the  mastership  was  more  certain  before 
declaring  themselves  with  regard  to  the  professorship, 
it  was  impossible  to  forecast  their  action  with  any 
certainty.  There  was  no  doubt  however  that  they 
desired  to  keep  the  professorship  in  the  college,  and 
that  therefore  there  was  little  chance  that  they  would 
play  into  Dr  Law's  hands  by  dividing  their  votes  be- 
tween two  Johnian  candidates. 

'In  respect  to  the  Margaret  professorship'  wrote  Talbot  on 
December  23rd  'the  difficulty  of  pronouncing  anything  certain 
is  increased  by  the  reserve  in  which  the  people  of  St  John's 
(who  make  a  third  part  of  the  electors)  hold  themselves.  As  the 
mastership  and  professorship  are  now  likely  to  become  vacant 
at  the  same  time,  their  policy  may  not  improbably  be  in  the 
upshot  to  compromise  their  own  differences  by  giving  the 
mastership  to  one  of  their  candidates  and  the  professorship,  if 
it  can  be  managed,  to  the  other*.' 

Law  indeed  had  been  playing  an  uphill  game  from 
the  start,  and  a  few  days  after  Newcome's  death  Dr  Caryl 
reported  that  Law  and  his  friends  'are  now  convinced 
that  it  has  been  all  along  impracticable  to  effect  such 
a  division  of  St  John's  college  as  should  make  Dr  Law's 

1  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  81;  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  rry. 
-  In  a  letter  to  Newcastle,  Powell  refers  to  Caryl's  'reckoning  which 
is  always  exact.'  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  266. 

3  Add.  MS.  32963,  f.  328.  4  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  374. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES    259 

election  sure^. '  If  however  Lord  Sandwich's  candidate 
was  the  favourite  for  the  professorship,  it  was  all  the 
more  important  for  Newcastle  to  make  certain  of  the 
mastership  for  Powell,  and  the  outlook  in  this  direction 
was  certainly  promising.  As  the  electors  numbered 
forty-five^,  the  successful  candidate  for  the  mastership 
must  receive  at  least  twenty-three  votes;  and  as  by  the 
end  of  the  year  1764  Powell  believed  that  he  could 
count  with  certainty  upon  twenty-one  votes^,  he  was  not 
far  off  the  necessary  minimum^.  Indeed  Dr  Brooke, 
though  supported  by  all  the  influence  that  Sandwich 
could  command,  was  proving  a  far  less  eligible  candi- 
date for  the  mastership  than  for  the  professorship;  and 
though  it  is  an  adversary  who  says  '  his  character  is  such 
that  his  promotion  to  the  mastership... can  portend 
nothing  but  ruin  to  the  college,'  there  is  some  reason 
to  think  that  such  an  opinion  was  fairly  common,  and 
that  Brooke  was  very  unpopular*.  Yet  it  was  impossible 
to  predict  the  result  until  the  actual  candidates  were 
known.  It  was  for  instance  by  no  means  certain  that, 
when  it  came  to  the  point,  Dr  Rutherforth  would 
stand^:  for  he  stood  no  chance  in  a  straight  fight,  and 
his  only  hope  was  that  by  intervening  he  might  prevent 
any  of  the  candidates  obtaining  a  sufficient  number  of 
votes  and  thereby  procure  a  lapse  to  the  seniors.  It  was 
also  believed  In  certain  quarters  that  Dr  Ogden  would 
come  forward  as  a  candidate^,  and  though  It  was  scorn- 
fully remarked  that  on  the  first  scrutiny  he  would  only 
receive  his  own  vote'^,  any  addition  to  the  number  of  the 

1  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  197.  '^  Add.  MS.  32961,  f.  220. 

^  Writing  on  December  30th  Powell  asserted  that  he  was  sure  of 
twenty  votes,  and  on  the  day  following  reported  that  Mr  Todingtou 
had  just  promised  him  his  vote.  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  459,  f.  469. 

4  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  374. 

5  Add.  MS.  32964,  f.  392;  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  205. 

6  Add.  MS.  32963,^255. 

'  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  205,  f.  215. 

17—2 


26o    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

competitors  was  a  fresh  complication  and  increased  the 
uncertainty  of  the  issue.  Dr  Alvis,  who  had  recently- 
been  a  senior  Fellow,  was  also  named  as  a  possible 
candidate,  but  the  constantly  changing  character  of  the 
situation  is  best  illustrated  by  an  important  alteration 
in  the  plans  of  the  Sandwich  party.  It  was  soon  clear 
that  Brooke  was  not  proving  himself  a  good  candidate 
for  the  mastership,  and  therefore  it  was  agreed  about 
the  end  of  the  year  1764  that,  while  continuing  to 
stand  for  the  professorship,  he  should  resign  his  candi- 
dature for  the  mastership  in  favour  of  his  assistant 
Tutor,  Thomas  Frampton.  The  change  was  for  the 
better  from  the  point  of  view  of  those  who  were  en- 
deavouring to  overthrow  the  Newcastle  interest;  for 
though  Frampton  was  described  as  'given  to  pleasure 
and  of  little  application,'  he  was  believed  to  be  a  person 
of  some  ability,  and  was  certainly  far  more  popular  in 
the  college  than  Brooke^. 

The  multiplication  of  possible  candidates  materially 
added  to  the  difficulties  of  Newcastle's  task.  He  had 
made  up  his  mind  to  support  Powell  and  was  therefore 
most  anxious  that  others,  with  equal  and  possibly  greater 
claims  upon  his  support,  should  not  aspire  to  the  master- 
ship. It  was  awkward  for  him  to  withhold  his  favour 
from  Dr  Ogden  who  had  loyally  supported  him  through- 
out the  High  Stewardship  dispute:  and  he  was  much 
annoyed  by  receiving  on  January  iith  a  letter  from 
John  Skynner,  announcing  his  intention  of  standing  for 
the  mastership.  'I  flatter  myself  wrote  Skynner  'that 
I  may  still  rely  on  your  Grace's  kind  disposition  to  me, 
and  that  you  will  not  prefer  the  interest  of  any  of  the 
candidates  in  prejudice  to  mine^. ' 

Skynner  was  a  Fellow  of  the  college  and  a  person 
of  some  distinction  in  the  university,  having  only 
recently  resigned  the  office  of  Public  Ora.or  which  he 

1  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  115.  2  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  147. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES    261 

had  held  for  ten  years.  Powell  made  light  of  the  danger 
of  his  competition^;  but  Skynner  himself  believed  that 
he  could  muster  sufficient  strength  in  the  college  to 
bring  about  a  lapse  to  the  senior  Fellows  upon  whom 
he  pinned  his  hopes^.  If  this  belief  was  well  founded 
he  could  successfully  wreck  Newcastle's  scheme:  and, 
even  if  the  venture  proved  unsuccessful,  it  inevitably 
placed  the  Duke  in  a  delicate  situation.  When  in  1761 
Dr  Newcome  was  thought  to  be  dangerously  ill,  New- 
castle had  encouraged  Skynner  to  think  of  the  master- 
ship, and  had  apparently  even  gone  so  far  as  to  discuss 
with  him  a  plan  of  procedure.  Therefore,  when  in  reply 
to  Skynner's  announcement,  the  Duke  declared  his 
intention  of  warmly  supporting  Powell^,  he  laid  himself 
open  to  a  cutting  rejoinder. 

'But  when  it  was  settled  from  the  beginning'  replied  Skynner 
'that  I  should  procure  such  a  number  of  votes  only  as  would 
hinder  any  other  candidate  from  a  majority,... when  the  plan 
was  approved  by  your  Grace  and  you  was  so  kind  as  to  omit  no 
opportunity  of  enquiring  about  the  mastership  whenever  I  had 
the  honour  of  waiting  upon  you,  I  adhered  to  the  resolution 
approved,  not  to  stir  till  the  Master's  life  became  in  extreme 
danger*.' 

Skynner  indeed  felt  that  he  had  a  substantial  grievance: 
and  though  Newcastle  rightly  pointed  out  that  'the 
state  of  the  college  and  the  candidates  is  much  altered 
since  that  time*^, '  it  was  impossible  for  him  completely 
to  gloss  over  the  fact  that  he  had  discarded  the  candidate 
whom  he  had  formerly  encouraged. 

Such  was  the  situation  when  the  death  of  Dr  New- 
come  on  January  loth,  1765,  came  as  a  call  to  arms.  The 
election  of  a  new  Lady  Margaret  Professor  was  fixed 

1  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  135. 

'^  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  207;  see  also  f.  159. 

^  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  167.  4   ^^'^^^_  -^f^_  32965,  f.  207. 

^  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  167. 


262  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

for  Saturday  January  19th,  and  of  a  new  Master  for 
Friday  January  25th.  Dr  Law  did  not  seem  at  all 
likely  to  get  the  professorship,  and  though  Powell  was 
almost  certain  to  obtain  more  votes  for  the  mastership 
than  any  of  the  other  candidates,  it  was  quite  possible 
that  he  might  fail  to  secure  the  necessary  minimum, 
and  that  therefore  the  duty  of  appointing  Dr  Newcome's 
successor  might  devolve  upon  the  seniors.  The  outlook 
was  not  free  from  anxiety,  and  that  Newcastle  was 
conscious  of  the  need  of  exploring  every  avenue  of 
assistance  is  shown  by  his  letter  to  the  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury  on  January  i8th. 

'The  most  likely  to  carry  it  on  our  side'  he  wrote  'is  Dr 
Powell,  a  very  zealous  friend  and  in  every  respect  a  most  de- 
serving unexceptionable  man,  w^as  long  and  lately  the  first  Tutor 
in  the  college,  and  has  now  a  very  good  temporal  estate  of  his 
own.  I  hope  he  will  carry  it,  but  the  statutes  of  that  college  make 
it  necessary  for  him  to  have  a  majority  of  the  whole  number  of 
the  Fellows  or  else  there  is  a  devolution,  first  to  the  senior 
Fellows,  and  afterwards  to  the  visitor,  the  Bishop  of  Ely.  But 
the  seniors  will  scarce  let  it  come  there.  I  hear  the  bishops  dine 
at  Lambeth  this  day,  and  I  wish  your  Grace  would  talk  to  the 
Bishop  of  Lincoln  about  it.  Dr  Murray,  who  was  at  Hamburgh, 
has  a  curate,  one  Mr  Plucknett^  who  is  a  Fellow  and  has  con- 
sequently a  vote.  I  applied  to  Princess  Amelia  who  had  some 
knowledge  of  Dr  Murray:  Her  Royal  Highness  told  me  she 
had  not  been  able  to  serve  Dr  Murray  and  therefore  had  no 
pretence  to  ask  a  favour  of  him;  but  that  your  Grace  had  been  so 
good  as  to  take  this  Dr  Murray  (who  is  a  very  deserving  man) 
under  your  protection,  and  that  Her  Royal  Highness  fancied 
your  Grace  would  have  more  influence  over  him  than  anybody. 
If  your  Grace  should  think  proper  so  far  to  interfere  as  to  direct 
your  chaplain  to  write  to  Dr  Murray  to  influence  his  curate  to 
vote  for  Dr  Powell  to  be  Master  of  St  John's  upon  the  present 
vacancy,  I  should  be  very  much  obliged  to  you.  But  if  your 

^  William  Plucknett  was  licensed  to  the  curacy  of  Gainsborough  in 
1762.  Dr  Murray  (or  Murrey)  was  Vicar  of  Gainsborough  from  1761 
until  his  death  in  1778. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES    263 

Grace  thinks  such  an  appHcation  would  be  improper,  or  has  the 
least  objection  to  it,  I  beg  you  would  forgive  the  liberty  I  have 
taken  in  troubling  you  upon  it^.' 

Dr  Powell  was  also  anxious  and  took  a  momentous 
decision  on  the  same  day  that  Newcastle  wrote  to  the 
Archbishop.  It  had  always  been  foreseen  that  the 
Fellows  of  St  John's,  in  order  to  avert  a  contested 
election,  might  come  to  a  friendly  arrangement  and 
agree  upon  a  Professor  and  a  Master:  and  in  December 
1764  a  friend  of  Lord  Sandwich  had  told  Powell  that 
his  candidature  for  the  mastership  would  not  be  op- 
posed if  he  would  undertake  to  support  Dr  Brooke  for 
the  professorship^.  It  would  undoubtedly  have  been 
dishonourable  of  Powell  to  have  promptly  closed  with 
this  offer :  for  as  an  adherent  of  the  Duke  it  was  in- 
cumbent upon  him  to  do  his  utmost  to  secure  the 
professorship  for  Dr  Law  as  well  as  the  mastership 
for  himself:  but  if,  as  the  situation  developed,  it  became 
clear  that  Law  was  not  going  to  be  elected  Professor 
and  that  Powell  was  not  certain  of  being  elected  Master, 
wisdom  would  dictate  acceptance  of  the  compromise 
offered  by  the  Sandwich  party.  Therefore  when  a  week 
before  the  election  of  a  new  Master,  and  a  day  before 
the  election  of  a  new  Professor,  Powell  discovered  that 
there  was  a  certain  majority  against  Law  and  not  a 
certain  majority  for  himself,  he  decided  to  compromise, 
and  on  January  i8th  there  was  peace  in  St  John's.  On 
that  day  it  was  arranged  between  Frampton  and  Powell 
that  the  former  would  not  stand  for  the  mastership  and 
that  the  latter  would  support  Dr  Brooke  for  the  professor- 
ship'^: and  on  the  following  day  Brooke  was  elected 
Lady  Margaret  Professor,  prevailing  over  Law  by  a 
dozen  votes.  As  the  withdrawal  of  Frampton,  and  the 
support  of  the  Sandwich  interest  in  the  college,  made 

1  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  242.  2  ;^dj_  ]vfg_  32964,  f.  380. 

^  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  244,  f.  250,  f.  252. 


264    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

Powell  certain  of  securing  the  necessary  minimum 
number  of  votes  for  the  mastership,  there  was  no  point 
in  any  other  candidate  standing,  and  on  January  25th, 
1765,  he  was  unanimously  elected  Master^. 

'The  Lady  Margaret,  my  Lord,'  wrote  Dr  Ogden 
to  the  Duke  on  January  i8th,  'as  I  apprehend,  has 
made  the  Master^';  and  Dr  Ogden  apprehended  rightly. 
It  is  of  course  impossible  to  dogmatise  upon  what  might 
have  happened  if  there  had  been  no  compromise,  but 
there  is  no  reason  to  think  that  Powell  was  guilty  of 
over-caution. 

'I  made  no  agreement'  he  told  Newcastle  on  January  20th 
'with  Dr  Brooke  and  Mr  Frampton  till  Dr  Caryl's  reckoning, 
which  is  always  exact,  shewed  me  that  the  friends,  who  at  my 
request  were  willing  to  remain  neuter  but  not  to  vote  against 
the  interest  of  the  college,  were  not  able  to  turn  the  election  in 
favour  of  Dr  Law,  nor  would  I  have  agreed  even  then  if  either 
Dr  Rutherforth  had  declined  or  Dr  Ogden  engaged  to  vote  for 
me.  But  without  one  or  other  of  these  things  I  could  not  be 
secure^.' 

Indeed  the  reproach  of  excess  of  caution  can  be  levied 
more  fittingly  against  Lord  Sandwich  and  his  advisers. 
It  is  possible  that  their  intelligence  department  was 
inadequate,  and  that  they  failed  to  appreciate  that 
Dr  Brooke  was  safe  for  the  professorship:  for  they 
certainly  made  a  bad  bargain  and  trumped  their  best 
card. 

Newcastle  however  was  disappointed,  and,  as  was 
characteristic  of  him  in  moments  of  adversity,  he  was 
lavish  in  distributing  blame. 

'My  friends  at  Cambridge'  he  wrote  to  Dr  Caryl  on  January 
1 6th  'are  not  so  good  managers  of  elections  as  I  was  formerly: 
and  perhaps  should  still  be  if  I  knew  as  well  how  to  go  about 
getting  an  university  (in  which  I   have  much  miscarried)  as  in 

^  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  292.  Two  days  before  his  election  he  received 
'a  letter  of  compliments  from  Lord  Sandwich.' 

2  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  246.  3  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  266. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  265 

carrying  a  county.  My  first  rule  always  was  to  think  of  the 
person  that  could  carry  it:  that  never  comes  into  your  thoughts 
(that  is  the  thoughts  of  my  friends  at  Cambridge).  You  only  are 
afraid  of  disobliging  everybody,  and  by  that  means  will  evidently 
let  in  the  enemy.  Had  I  had  the  sole  management  of  these  two 
elections,  viz.  the  Margaret  Professor  and  the  Master  of  St 
John's,  I  would  have  forfeited  anything  if  either  Dr  Brooke 
had  been  Professor,  or  Frampton,  or  any  of  his  degree.  Master  1.' 

The  Duke  however  exaggerated  his  own  capacity  and 
under-estimated  the  difficulties  of  the  situation. 

'It  is  now  plain  to  everyone'  replied  Dr  Caryl  'that,  had  we 
resolved  upon  carrying  our  point,  we  had  no  way  for  it  but  to 
have  taken  a  candidate  out  of  St  John's:  and  I  make  no  question 
but  that  many  of  us  have  seen  it  long:  but  as  Dr  Law  had  set 
his  heart  upon  it  ever  since  he  returned  to  Cambridge  and  has 
been  so  firm  to  us.^  it  was  too  delicate  a  point  to  confer  upon, 
even  among  ourselves;  and  unless  he  could  himself  have  seen 
the  desperateness  of  his  own  case  (which  he  hardly  did  at  the 
last)  and  have  given  up  in  time,  we  could  not  act  otherwise 
than  we  have  done^.' 

Dr  Law's  persistence  had  indeed  been  the  great  diffi- 
culty. He  had  set  his  heart  upon  the  professorship  and 
had  not  sufficient  detachment  to  realise  that  he  could 
not  be  successful.  He  was  not  the  candidate  that  New- 
castle would  have  chosen,  but  he  was  too  faithful  an 
adherent  to  be  thrown  over. 

The  history  of  this  double  contest  amply  illustrates 
both  the  necessity  which  compelled  the  Duke  to  inter- 
vene in  college  politics  and  the  difficulties  he  found  in 
doing  so.  Unless  he  was  prepared  to  sacrifice  what 
influence  and  prestige  remained  to  him  in  the  univer- 
sity, he  could  not  allow  Lord  Sandwich  to  appoint  the 
Master  of  St  John's,  but  all  through  the  struggle  he 
knew  that  he  was  treading  on  dangerous  ground,  and 
that  by  insisting  overmuch  on  his  own  wishes  he  might 
easily  alienate  his  friends  and  swell  the  number  of  his 

^  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  227.  ^  Add.  MS.  32965,  f.  268. 


266    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

enemies.  Possibly,  when  all  was  over  and  the  bitterness 
of  the  struggle  had  been  dimmed  by  time,  he  was  able 
to  see  that  he  had  at  least  attained  his  main  objective, 
and  that  the  mastership  of  St  John's  had  been  cheaply 
purchased  by  a  divinity  professorship;  but  he  was  not 
always  so  fortunate.  There  were  occasions  when  he 
intervened  in  the  domestic  affairs  of  a  college  and  did 
not  even  score  a  modified  success :  and,  if  at  the  close 
of  his  life  he  ever  indulged  in  retrospection,  it  is 
probable  that  his  two  bitterest  university  memories 
were  the  election  of  Sir  James  Marriott  as  Master  of 
Trinity  Hall  and  the  election  of  Dr  Goddard  as  Master 
of  Clare. 

The  election  of  Marriott  as  Master  of  Trinity  Hall 
in  1764  was  the  culminating  incident  of  a  long  story 
which  cannot  be  understood  without  a  knowledge  of 
the  constitution  of  the  society  with  which  it  is  con- 
cerned. In  many  ways  Trinity  Hall  was  unique  among 
the  Cambridge  colleges.  Of  its  twelve  Fellows  not  more 
than  two  were  usually  in  holy  orders :  and  upon  these 
two  exclusively  devolved  the  duties  of  maintaining 
discipline  and  education  in  the  college. 

'These  men'  wrote  Gunning  'reside  during  the  greater  part 
of  the  year:  they  alone  give  lectures,  they  alone  keep  up  the 
discipline  of  the  college,  and  attend  to  the  moral  conduct  of 
those  in  statu  pupillari.  The  rest  of  the  Fellows  are  laymen, 
generally  lawyers,  frequently  members  of  parliament;  they  only 
reside  during  the  twelve  days  of  Christmas,  the  mornings  of 
which  they  pass  in  auditing  their  accounts,  and  their  evenings 
are  devoted  to  the  most  splendid  hospitality  very  generally  ex- 
tended^.' 

The  Master  was  quite  as  much  an  absentee  as  the 
majority  of  his  Fellows:  and  although  such  a  practice 
would  find  little  favour  at  the  present  time,  it  was  in 
accordance  with  the  traditions  of  the  college  and  the 

■•■   Gunning's  Reminiscences,  11,  28. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES     267 

wishes  of  the  Founder.  Trinity  Hall  had  been  estab- 
lished as  a  'perpetual  college  of  scholars  in  the  canon 
and  civil  law';  and  it  is  therefore  not  surprising  that 
the  Master  and  Fellows  of  a  college,  devoted  to  one 
branch  of  knowledge,  practised  and  presided  in  the 
various  ecclesiastical  courts,  and  were  more  commonly 
to  be  found  at  Doctors  Commons  than  in  Cambridge. 
But  the  inevitable  consequence  of  this  system  was  that 
the  ordinary  Fellow  of  Trinity  Hall  in  the  eighteenth 
century  was  far  less  'donnish'  and  far  more  a  man  of 
the  world  than  the  Fellows  of  other  colleges.  Cambridge 
was  not  his  home  and  academic  interests  did  not  pre- 
occupy him.  He  knew  the  world,  was  conversant  with 
affairs,  and  mixed  on  terms  of  equality  with  the  great. 
A  contemporary  described  the  society  as  '  being  always 
composed  of  people  of  the  best  families  and  fortunes^' : 
and  although,  as  the  contemporary  was  a  Trinity  Hall 
man,  this  may  be  an  exaggeration,  it  was  not  ludicrously 
untrue  as  it  would  have  been  if  said  of  any  other  college. 
As  the  Fellows  were  men  of  some  importance  in  the 
world,  and  financially  independent  of  what  they  drew 
from  the  college,  they  were  apt  to  hold  themselves  in 
high  esteem  and  to  regard  the  Master  as  an  equal  and 
even  as  an  inferior. 

'In  this  college'  wrote  Marriott  to  the  Duke  in  1764  'the 
Riaster  divides  only  as  a  thirteenth  man,  with  small  profits  of 
absentees  at  Christmas,  so  that  this  Mastership  or  almost  Fellow- 
ship is  not  better  than  that  of  one  of  our  chaplains.  He  has  not 
a  vote  at  any  election  of  a  Fellow  or  Scholar,  and  it  is  a  mere 
complaisance  that  he  is  permitted  to  name  college  servants^.' 

Yet  the  Master  was  not  quite  so  powerless  as  this  state- 
ment might  seem  to  suggest.  It  is  true  that  he  had  no 
vote  in  an  election  to  a  Fellowship,  but  no  candidate 
could    be   elected   unless   a    majority   of  the   existing 

1  Add.  MS.  32867,  f.  417;  see  also  Add.  MS.  32871,  f.  r6i. 

2  Add.  MS.  32955,  f.  134. 


268  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

Fellows  voted  for  him,  and  in  the  event  of  all  the  candi- 
dates failing  to  obtain  the  requisite  number  of  votes, 
the  Master  had  the  right  of  nominating  whom  he 
pleased  to  the  vacant  Fellowship^.  If  therefore  the 
Master  was  a  skilful  politician  it  was  within  his  power 
considerably  to  influence  the  composition  of  the  society 
over  which  he  presided;  for,  either  by  multiplying  the 
number  of  candidates,  or  by  persuading  a  few  of  the 
electors  to  observe  a  neutrality,  he  might  render  an 
election  impossible  and  secure  the  exercise  of  his  right 
of  nomination.  It  is  true  that  the  Fellows  regarded  this 
privilege  of  the  Master  with  considerable  resentment, 
and  in  theory  at  least  it  was  always  possible  for  them 
to  prevent  him  from  exercising  it^;  but  he  was  one  and 
they  were  many,  and  by  playing  upon  the  jealousies  of 
some  and  the  indifference  of  others  it  was  sometimes 
possible  for  him  to  combine  the  substance  with  the 
dignity  of  power. 

When  Newcastle  became  Chancellor  the  Master  of 
Trinity  Hall  was  Dr  Edward  Simpson  who  was  already 
embarked  upon  a  highly  successful  career  in  the  ec- 
clesiastical courts,  having  recently  become  Judge  of  the 
Consistory  Court  of  London.  His  ambition  lay  outside 
Cambridge,  and,  anxious  to  advance  in  his  profession, 
he  wisely  sought  to  obtain  the  protection  of  a  powerful 
patron;  for  without  some  such  support  progress  in  the 
eighteenth  century  was  apt  to  be  tardy  and  uncertain. 
The  patron  he  selected  was  Sir  George  Lee  who,  after 
being  educated  at  Christ  Church,  Oxford,  had  been 
admitted  an  advocate  at  Doctors  Commons,  and  quickly 
rose  to  great  eminence,  being  appointed  in  1751  Dean 
of  Arches  and  Judge  of  the  Prerogative  Court  of 
Canterbury^.  The  friendship  of  such  a  man  was  likely 

1  Add.  MS.  32870,  f.  186;  Add.  MS.  32871,  f.  161. 

2  Add.  A4S.  32870,  f.  186. 

^  Lee  was  not  knighted  until  1752. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES     269 

to  prove  of  the  greatest  assistance  to  Simpson,  especially 
as  Lee  was  a  person  of  some  distinction  in  the  political 
world.  He  had  sat  in  parliament  for  several  years  and 
was  an  important  member  of  the  opposition  party  which, 
under  the  nominal  leadership  of  Frederick,  Prince  of 
Wales,  was  engaged  in  relentless  war  against  New- 
castle and  the  government.  The  Leicester  house  party, 
as  it  was  styled,  continued  in  existence  after  the  Prince 
of  Wales'  death,  and  the  politics  of  Dr  Simpson  naturally 
took  the  same  hue  as  those  of  his  patron. 

Newcastle  could  therefore  at  the  outset  of  his  career 
as  Chancellor  expect  little  support  from  the  Master  of 
Trinity  Hall,  and  he  was  not  much  more  fortunately 
situated  with  regard  to  the  Fellows.  It  was  remarked 
in  1750  that  one  of  the  most  influential  of  the  Fellows 
was  Matthew  Robinson  who  played  a  very  leading  part 
in  the  opposition  to  Newcastle's  project  of  university 
reform,  and  in  the  June  of  that  year  Matthew  Robinson 
still  further  increased  his  influence  in  the  college  by 
securing  the  election  of  his  brother,  John,  to  a  vacant 
Fellowship. 

'I  am  afraid'  wrote  Lord  Dupplin  on  June  9th,  1750, 
'Robinson  will  carry  his  point  at  Trinity  Hall  and  bring  in  his 
brother  to  supply  a  vacancy  which  has  lately  happened.  When 
the  society  is  full  there  are  twelve  Fellows.  The  vacancy  reduces 
the  number  to  eleven.  Professor  Dickins  never  comes  to  college. 
Of  the  ten  Robinson  has  five  secure  All  measures  that  could  be 
thought  of  have  been  taken  to  keep  away  Mr  Mills  of  Canter- 
bury. If  he  does  not  go  there  cannot  be  an  election  in  favour  of 
Robinson,  for  six  must  concur:  otherwise  the  election  devolves 
to  the  Master.  Dr  Monson,  Pinfold  and  Salusbury  (and  Dale 
if  he  goes  down)  oppose  Robinson  strenuously.  They  have  been 
for  long  inactive  and  have  suffered  him  to  get  too  much  ground^.' 

Lord  Dupplin's  fears  were  justified.  Either  Mr  Milles 
of  Canterbury  put  in  an  appearance,  or,  which  is  more 

1  Add.  MS.  32721,  f.  91. 


270  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

likely,  one  if  not  more  of  the  Fellows  opposed  to 
Robinson  preferred  in  the  end  to  vote  for  his  candidate 
rather  than  allow  the  Master  to  exercise  his  right  of 
nomination;  for  John  Robinson  was  duly  elected  and 
admitted  a  Fellow. 

It  is  clear  that  whichever  party  prevailed  in  Trinity 
Hall  Newcastle  would  not  profit,  for  he  could  expect 
no  assistance  either  from  the  Master  or  Matthew 
Robinson.  In  1751  the  Master's  nephew,  Francis 
Simpson,  was  elected  to  the  Fellowship  vacated  by 
Salusbury:  and,  although  we  know  no  more  than  the 
bare  fact,  it  is  possible  that  the  Fellows  were  of  the 
opinion  that  Francis  Simpson  would  be  less  amenable 
to  his  uncle's  influence  if  he  owed  his  Fellowship  to 
their  votes  and  not  to  his  kinsman's  nomination.  Two 
years  later  however  the  Master  was  able  to  nominate 
to  a  vacant  Fellowship,  Peter  Calvert,  who  had  been 
recommended  to  him  by  Sir  George  Lee,  and  who  had 
failed  to  secure  the  necessary  minimum  of  votes  among 
the  Fellows;  but,  as  a  few  months  earlier  in  the  same 
year,  he  had  equally  nominated  to  a  Fellowship,  George 
Carr,  who  had  been  an  undergraduate  at  Jesus  and  was 
specially  recomm^ended  for  a  Fellowship  at  Trinity  Hall 
by  Newcastle's  friends,  Dr  Keene  and  Dr  Caryl,  'as 
a  proper  person  to  manage  and  cultivate  the  whig 
interest  in  that  society^,'  it  might  be  thought  that  the 
Master  was  exercising  his  power  with  becoming  im- 
partiality. But  appearances  were  deceptive.  Carr,  who 
was  in  holy  orders,  was  nominated  to  one  of  the  two 
tutorial  Fellowships  which  could  only  be  held  by  priests, 
and  it  may  be  surmised  that,  as  a  lawyer  was  out  of  the 
question,  neither  the  Master  nor  Sir  George  Lee  would 
take  much  interest  in  the  appointment,  that  the  Fellows 
would  be  equally  indifferent,  and  that  it  would  be  com- 
paratively easy  for  Dr  Keene  and  Dr  Caryl  to  utilise 

1  Add.  MS.  32870,  f.  123;  see  also  Add.  MS.  32866,  f.  274. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES     271 

such  a  favourable  opportunity  of  introducing  a  friend 
into  Trinity  Hall. 

There  were  however  only  two  such  Fellowships,  and 
if  they  were  to  be  the  only  means  by  which  Newcastle 
could  influence  the  composition  of  the  society,  there 
was  nothing  for  him  but  to  abandon  hope.  Had  it  not 
been  for  the  Master's  nomination  of  Calvert  the  Duke 
might  have  acquiesced  in  his  own  exclusion,  for  he  had 
a  keener  appreciation  of  the  limitations  of  his  power 
with  regard  to  the  colleges  than  with  regard  to  the 
university;  but  the  situation  took  on  a  different  com- 
plexion when  it  became  notorious  that  the  Master  was 
the  obedient  follower  of  Sir  George  Lee,  and  could  be 
counted  upon  to  exercise  his  privilege  of  nomination 
in  accordance  with  Lee's  recommendations.  The  Duke 
was  always  particularly  fearful  of  any  rival  banner  being 
planted  in  the  university,  but  when  that  rival  banner 
was  that  of  an  Oxford  man  and  an  avowed  political 
opponent,  the  situation  was  desperate.  It  was  essential 
that  there  should  be  a  trial  of  strength,  but  it  may  well 
be  that  Newcastle  would  never  have  ventured  upon  such 
a  dangerous  undertaking  if  it  had  not  been  for  the 
promptings  of  his  friend  and  follower,  James  Marriott. 

James  Marriott,  the  son  of  a  London  attorney,  had 
been  admitted  as  a  pensioner  at  Trinity  Hall  in  1746, 
and  in  1751  had  graduated  as  a  bachelor  of  laws.  After 
taking  his  degree  he  continued  to  reside  in  college^, 
and,  as  he  was  contemplating  a  career  in  the  church, 
he  wisely  sought  to  ingratiate  himself  with  Newcastle. 
This  venture  was  attended  with  signal  success,  for  the 
Duke  seems  to  have  employed  him  in  arranging  his 
library,  and  on  a  later  occasion  Marriott  was  able  to 
boast  that  he  had  'been  almost  a  domestic  in  your 
Grace's  house^. '  It  was  therefore  only  right  and  proper 
that  when  the  Chancellor  visited  Cambridge  in  April 
1  Add.  MS.  32863,  f.  298.  2  /^y^_ 


272    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

1755,  to  lay  the  foundation  stone  of  the  new  Hbrary 
buildings,  Marriott  should  present  him  with  two  poems 
in  honour  of  the  occasion;  and  he  seems  to  have  seized 
every  possible  opportunity  of  advertismg  the  fact  that 
he  was  under  the  special  protection  of  the  Duke. 
Doubtless  Newcastle's  patronage  would  have  been  of 
invaluable  assistance  to  him  if  he  had  adhered  to  his 
original  intention,  but  about  the  end  of  the  year  1755 
he  abandoned  his  design  of  taking  holy  orders  and 
determined  to  embark  upon  the  profession  of  the  civil 
law^.  He  was  well  fitted  by  his  training  and  education 
for  such  a  career,  and  could  confidently  count  upon  a 
certain  amount  of  family  influence-. 

This  change  of  plan  led  him  naturally  enough  to 
think  of  a  Fellowship  of  Trinity  Hall  as  a  desirable 
acquisition,  and  he  made  up  his  mind  to  stand  as  a 
candidate  at  the  next  vacancy.  But  much  to  his  disgust 
he  discovered  that  he  could  expect  no  support  from  the 
Master  who  was  under  a  promise  to  favour  the  claims 
of  a  certain  Mr  Andrews,  a  candidate  recommended 
by  Sir  George  Lee.  He  therefore  turned  to  his  patron 
for  assistance. 

'Being  obliged  for  family  reasons'  he  wrote  to  the  Duke  in 
November  1755  'to  quit  my  design  of  going  into  orders,  and 
having  acquainted  the  gentlemen  of  Trinity  Hall  with  my 
intention  of  offering  myself  a  candidate  for  the  next  vacant 
Fellowship,  the  Master,  Dr  Simpson,  does  not  give  me  so  much 
encouragement  as  I  hoped.  Sir  George  Lee  being  desirous,  I 
find,  of  recommending  a  gentleman  who  is  greatly  my  junior, 
not  having  yet  taken  any  degree,  myself  being  of  a  doctor  of 
laws'  standing  the  next  Commencement,  and  having  had  more 
than  one  junior  put  over  my  head  already.  I  take  the  liberty 
therefore  of  desiring  your  Grace's  favour  to  countenance  me 
in  this  affair,  and  shall  always  esteem  myself  very  happy  to  be 
honoured  with  the  continuance  of  your  Grace's  patronage^.' 

1  Add.  MS.  32860,  f.  465.  2  Ajd_  ]VIS.  32865,  f.  368. 

3  Add.  MS.  3286c,  f.  465. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  273 

As  there  was  no  immediate  prospect  of  a  Fellowship 
falling  vacant,  it  was  not  necessary  for  the  Duke  to  do 
more  than  give  words  of  kindly  encouragement;  but 
when  in  January  1756  Marriott  wrote  to  say  that 
Dr  Pinfold  was  about  to  be  appointed  Governor  of 
Barbadoes,  and  would  almost  certainly  'resign  so  small 
a  thing  as  a  Fellowship  of  Trinity  Hall^,'  the  Duke 
perceived  that  it  was  necessary  to  take  some  sort  of 
action.  What  Marriott  asked  him  to  do  was  to  re- 
quest Dr  Pinfold  'to  make  a  circulation  immediately 
in  my  favour^.';  but  as  this  was  a  direct  invitation 
for  him  to  intervene  in  the  domestic  affairs  of  the  col- 
lege, he  might  reasonably  hesitate  before  risking  such 
a  hazardous  adventure.  He  seems  to  have  sent  for 
Marriott  and  to  have  wisely  advised  him  to  approach 
the  Master  once  more:  but,  though  the  counsel  was 
prudent,  when  it  was  put  into  practice  it  only  more 
fully  revealed  that  Dr  Simpson  had  completely  sold  him- 
self to  Sir  George  Lee. 

'Since  I  had  the  honour  of  seeing  your  Grace'  wrote  Marriott 
on  January  28th,  1756,  'and  in  consequence  of  what  you 
pleased  to  say  to  me,  I  waited  upon  Dr  Simpson  who  told  me 
that  he  would  not  interfere  in  any  election  at  Trinity  Hall,  and 
on  my  reminding  him  that  the  elections  had  of  late  devolved 
into  his  power  solely  and  were  likely  to  do  so  again,  he  answered 
that  in  such  case  he  should  be  for  Sir  George  Lee's  man^.' 

What  Marriott  feared,  and  not  unreasonably  feared, 
was  that  the  Master,  despite  his  assertions,  would  inter- 
fere and  scheme  to  secure  the  nomination  to  Pinfold's 
Fellowship  when  it  was  vacated.  What  Newcastle  feared, 
and  also  not  unreasonably,  was  that  an  influential 
Cambridge  college  would  pass  entirely  under  the  in- 
fluence of  a  political  antagonist,  and  it  is  therefore 
extremely  likely  that  when  in   March   1756  Marriott 

1  Add.  MS.  32862,  f.  151.  ^  Ibid. 

3  Add.  MS.  32862,  f.  269. 


274  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

reported  that  Dr  Keene,  Bishop  of  Chester,  had 
voluntarily  offered  to  assist  him  and  wanted  Newcastle's 
permission  to  engage  upon  a  canvass^,  leave  was  not 
refused.  Too  much  was  at  stake  for  considerations  of 
prudence  to  be  overweighted,  and  Marriott,  if  elected 
to  a  Fellowship,  could  render  invaluable  service  to  the 
Duke  who  was  without  a  friend  among  the  Fellows  of 
the  college,  and  sorely  needed  one. 

Yet  when  in  June  1756  Dr  Pinfold's  Fellowship  was 
declared  vacant,  it  was  obvious  that  Marriott  was  going 
to  have  a  very  uphill  fight.  Of  the  eleven  electors  three 
would  certainly  not  come  up  to  Cambridge  to  vote:  and 
it  was  therefore  necessary  for  Marriott  to  secure  six  votes 
out  of  the  remaining  eight.  If  he  failed  in  this  task  the 
Master  would  nominate  his  own  candidate  to  the  Fellow- 
ship, and  he  had  already  announced  his  intention  of 
obeying  Sir  George  Lee  and  appointing  Andrews.  The 
dice  were  certainly  loaded  against  Marriott.  From  the 
outset  he  had  the  support  of  Professor  Monson  who 
was  one  of  the  electors  and  greatly  respected  in  the 
society^,  and  it  was  a  foregone  conclusion  that  the 
Bishop  of  Chester  would  be  able  to  engage  Carr's  vote^ : 
but  neither  Thomas  Ansell*  nor  Matthew  Robinson 
had  any  reason  to  be  prejudiced  in  favour  of  an  adherent 
of  Newcastle,  and  it  seemed  unlikely  that  William 
Wynne,  who  had  been  elected  to  a  Fellowship  in  1755, 
would  take  the  trouble  of  making  a  journey  from  Wales, 
where  he  was  living,  in  order  to  vote  for  Marriott. 
Moreover  there  was  nothing  to  be  expected  from 
Francis  Simpson,  who  was  inclined  to  follow  his  uncle, 
or  from  Peter  Calvert,  who  owed  his  Fellowship  to  the 
Master's  nomination,  and  who,  when  indirectly  ap- 
proached by  Newcastle,  announced  through  his  father 
that  he  was  'under  great  obligations  to  Sir  George  Lee 

1  Add.  MS.  32863,  f.  298.  2  /^/^_ 

3  Add.  MS.  32865,  f".  368.  4  Seech,  iii,  pp.  211-216. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  275 

as  well  as  to  Dr  Simpson,  and  cannot  well  refuse  to  act 
in  concert  with  them  at  the  next  election^.' 

Nevertheless  Marriott  secured  the  necessary  six  votes 
and  was  duly  elected  into  the  Fellowship  recently  held 
by  Pinfold.  But  he  certainly  did  not  owe  his  success  to 
the  labours  of  Newcastle  and  Dr  Keene :  for  neither  the 
Duke  nor  the  Bishop  were  able  to  exercise  any  ap- 
preciable influence  in  Trinity  Hall,  and  their  sole  con- 
tribution seems  to  have  been  Carr's  vote.  Marriott's 
victory  was  indeed  mainly  due  to  the  mistakes  made 
by  his  adversary,  the  Master,  and  to  his  own  efforts. 
Dr  Simpson  was  guilty  of  faulty  strategy  in  making  it 
too  evident  that  he  was  working  to  obtain  the  nomina- 
tion to  the  Fellowship.  It  was  a  point  of  honour  with 
the  Fellows  to  prevent  the  Master  from  exercising  this 
privilege:  and  when  it  became  clear  that,  unless  they 
supported  Marriott,  there  could  be  no  election,  Ansell 
and  Matthew  Robinson  decided  to  swallow  their  pre- 
judices and  to  vote  for  the  Duke's  candidate.  Possibly 
moved  by  the  same  consideration,  Wynne  also  decided 
to  take  a  journey  of  two  hundred  miles  and  give  his 
vote  for  Marriott,  and  thus,  with  Monson  and  Carr, 
Marriott  was  certain  of  five  votes  out  of  a  possible 
eight.  He  needed  one  more  vote  however  to  defeat 
the  Master's  design;  and  of  the  three  remaining  electors, 
Calvert  and  probably  Francis  Simpson  were  pledged  to 
support  the  Master.  Only  Dr  Ridlington  was  left^: 
and  as  he  had  only  recently  come  to  an  agreement 
with  the  Master  and  definitely  refused  to  vote  for 
Marriott,  it  looked  for  a  time  as  if  victory  was  to  be 
missed  by  the  closest  of  all  possible  margins.  At 
the  last  moment,  however,  Ridlington  was  'brought 
over    by    the   rest    through  an    expedient^';    and   on 

1  Add.  MS.  32866,  f.  168. 

-  The  three  absent  Fellows  were  Milles,  Dale,  and  John  Robinson. 

3  Add.  MS.  32870,  f.  186. 


276  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

July  2 1st,  1756,  Marriott  was  elected  into  a  Fellow- 
ship^. 

It  is  obvious  that  his  success  was  mainly  due  to  the 
fact  that  there  was  no  other  candidate  but  Andrews 
whom  nobody  except  the  Master  and  Sir  George  Lee 
wanted,  and  that  he  owed  little  or  nothing  to  the 
support  he  received  from  the  Chancellor  and  his  friends 
in  the  university.  Marriott  indeed  was  careful  to  point 
out  to  the  Duke  that  the  victory  had  been  so  un- 
expected, and  achieved  with  so  much  difficulty,  that  it 
would  be  absurd  to  assume  that  the  final  battle  had  been 
fought  and  the  Master's  wiles  defeated  for  ever.  Indeed 
he  inclined  to  the  opinion  that 

Sir  George  Lee  cannot  easily  be  prevented,  though  an  Oxford 
man,  from  having  a  society  in  the  university  of  Cambridge... 
entirely  at  his  disposal,  and  that  this  must  be  the  consequence 
of  those  strange  connections  of  the  Master^. 

Newcastle  however,  believing  that  what  had  once  been 
done  could  be  repeated,  and  perceiving  the  importance 
of  having  for  the  first  time  a  trusted  friend  among  the 
Fellows  of  Trinity  Hall,  determined  upon  active  steps 
for  the  eradication  of  Sir  George  Lee's  influence.  He 
instructed  Marriott  to  confer  with  certain  of  his  sup- 
porters upon  'the  state  of  afi-airs  at  Trinity  HalP,'  and 
Marriott  obeyed  his  patron's  command. 

'Agreeably  to  your  Grace's  desire'  he  wrote  on  October 
28th,  1756,  'on  my  being  down  at  Wimbledon  with  my  good 
friend,  the  Bishop  of  Chester,  I  had  a  conference  with  him  on 
the  subject  of  Sir  George  Lee's  interest  at  Trinity  Hall  and  the 
late  conduct  of  the  Master.  I  have  made  his  Lordship  perfectly 
sensible  of  the  difficulties  which  will  arise  in  my  endeavouring 
to  prevent  the  influence  which  a  person,  who  is  at  the  head  of 

1  For  details,  see  Add.  MS.  32865,  f.  368;  Add.  MS.  32866, 
f.  168;  Add.  MS.  32867,  f.  417;  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  466;  Add.  MS. 
32870,  f.  186. 

2  Add.  MS.  32867,  f.  417.  3  Ibid. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES    277 

the  civil  law  and  pays  great  respect  to  all  the  members  of  that 
profession,  must  naturally  have  in  such  a  society  as  ours.  However, 
as  there  is  reason  to  hope  that  I  may  possibly  take  the  lead  at  the 
next  election,  and  that  the  flying  party,  as  they  did  lately,  will 
range  themselves  with  me,  I  have  desired  the  Bishop  and  Dr 
Squire  to  take  some  measures,  as  far  as  they  can,  and  when  I  go 
down  to  Cambridge  at  Christmas  will  neglect  nothing  myself 
that  may  be  for  your  Grace's  service.  But  in  the  meantime  I 
must  beg  your  Grace  not  to  take  any  notice  of  what  I  have 
informed  you,  either  to  the  Master,  Dr  Simpson,  or  to  any  other 
Cambridge  people,  for  fear  of  the  alarm  being  given  and  the 
Master's  putting  it  into  Sir  George  Lee's  power  to  secure  his 
interests  betimes^.' 

We  do  not  know  what  subterraneous  intrigues 
Marriott  carried  on  during  the  Christmas  vacation :  but 
when  about  the  middle  of  February  1757  Dr  Monson, 
a  Fellow  of  the  college  and  Regius  Professor  of  Civil 
Law,  was  reported  to  be  at  the  point  of  death,  Marriott 
at  once  entered  into  close  communication  with  the  Duke. 
He  was  aware  that  in  the  event  of  Monson's  death  the 
Master  would  endeavour  to  redeem  his  pledge  to  Sir 
George  Lee  by  nominating  Andrews  to  a  Fellowship: 
and,  if  this  end  was  successfully  attained,  another  Fellow 
would  owe  his  place  entirely  to  Lee's  recommendation. 
To  avert  such  a  catastrophe  Marriott  strongly  urged 
upon  the  Duke  the  claims  of  a  certain  Mr  Crespigny, 
and  was  able  to  advance  weighty  arguments.  He 
pointed  out  that  he  confidently  hoped  to  persuade 
Ansell  and  Matthew  Robinson  to  vote  for  Crespigny, 
that  Dr  Ridlington  would  probably  vote  the  same  way 
as  Robinson,  that  the  Master's  nephew  had  engaged 
himself  to  support  Crespigny,  and  that  if 

any  one  person  more,  either  Carr,  Wynne,  or  Calvert  can  be 
managed  by  any  friends  of  your  Grace  or  Mr  Crespigny  to 
vote  the  same  way,  then  my  voice  will  make  the  majority  to 
throw  out  Sir  George  Lee's  man  this  time,  who,  if  he  comes  in 

1  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  466. 


278  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

the  next,  must  come  in  then  by  the  immediate  interest  of  your 
Grace  and  by  no  other ^, 

It  was  clearly  reasonable  for  Newcastle  to  support 
Crespigny  if  he  was  likely  to  be  successful :  and,  if  Carr's 
vote  would  ensure  his  election,  the  Duke  was  asked  to 
perform  an  easy  task.  No  sensible  man  is  reluctant  to 
back  a  winning  horse,  and,  Monson  having  died  in  the 
interval,  Crespigny  was  elected  to  a  Fellowship  on 
March  26th,  1757.  But  Monson's  death  also  vacated  the 
Professorship  of  Civil  Law  which  was  a  crown  appoint- 
ment, and  Dr  Ridlington,  one  of  the  two  Fellows  in 
orders,  was  anxious  to  have  the  professorship.  He 
had  good  reason  however  to  fear  the  hostility  of 
Newcastle,  whom  he  had  hotly  opposed  when  the 
appeal  question  was  dividing  the  university,  and  as 
the  professorship  was  practically  in  the  Duke's  gift, 
Ridlington's  chances  were  not  of  the  best.  Marriott 
however  pointed  out  to  the  Chancellor  that  the  situa- 
tion was  too  serious  to  allow  him  to  indulge  his  pre- 
judices, and  that  not  only  had  Ridlington  acted  as 
Monson's  deputy,  and  was  a  very  able  man  with 
influential  friends,  such  as  the  Duke  of  Devonshire  and 
Lord  Exeter;  but  that  as  the  only  resident  doctor  of  laws 
he  was  a  perpetual  member  of  the  Caput,  that,  'if 
obliged,  can  rivet  this  whole  college  in  His  Grace's 
interest  beyond  a  possibility  of  a  competition  from  any 
quarter,'  and  that  'therefore  whether  it  is  not  for  the 
Chancellor's  interest  to  obtain  the  professorship  for 
him,  so  as  to  lay  him  under  an  obligation^. '  In  support 
of  these  arguments  Marriott  submitted  to  the  Duke  a 
letter  written  by  Ridlington  who  declared  that  if  he 
obtained  the  professorship,  it  would  be  his  constant 
endeavour  to  display  his  gratitude  to  the  Chancellor"^. 
As  Ridlington  was  probably  the  candidate  with  ^  by  far 

1  Add.  MS.  32870,  f.  186.       ^  Add.  MS.  33061,  f.  362. 

2  Add.  MS.  32870,  f.  191. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES    279 

the  strongest  claims,  it  is  possible  that  the  amount  of 
persuasion  required  was  due  to  Newcastle's  well- 
founded  distrust  of  him :  but  Marriott  carried  the  day, 
and  Ridlington  was  appointed  Professor  of  Civil  Law. 

'I  hope'  wrote  Newcasde  to  the  Lord  Mayor  of  London  on 
April  5th,  1757,  'Dr  Ridlington  acquainted  your  Lordship 
that  I  had  promised  him  that  he  should  have  my  recommenda- 
tion for  the  professorship  of  civil  law  in  our  university, 
according  to  your  desire:  and  I  am  extremely  glad  to  have  it  in 
my  power  to  shew  my  regard  for  your  Lordship^.' 

Newcastle  had  good  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  the 
improvement  in  his  relations  with  Trinity  Hall.  Seven 
years  before  he  had  been  without  a  friend  in  the  college : 
he  could  now  rely  upon  the  assistance  of  Carr  and 
Marriott,  and  had  some  claim  upon  the  loyalty  of 
Crespigny  and  Ridlington.  It  might  be  thought  that 
the  time  was  now  ripe  for  him  to  give  the  signal  for 
the  complete  destruction  of  Lee's  influence  in  the 
society:  but  he  prudently  refrained.  The  Fellows  of 
Trinity  Hall  had  not  resisted  the  interference  of  the 
Master  and  Lee  in  order  to  facilitate  the  interference 
of  Newcastle,  and  they  would  most  bitterly  resent  such 
a  consequence  of  their  action.  Further,  in  the  course 
of  the  summer  of  1757,  Lee  broke  with  the  Dowager 
Princess  of  Wales,  and  Newcastle  began  to  contemplate 
the  possibility  of  entering  into  an  alliance  with  him. 
Hence  it  was  not  to  the  Duke's  advantage  to  offend 
Lee  by  waging  open  war  against  him  at  Cambridge: 
and  Marriott  was  emphatic  that,  Newcastle's  interest 
having  been  established,  peace,  not  war,  in  the  college 
was  the  right  policy. 

'Apprehending'  he  wrote  on  May  30th,  1757,  'your  Grace's 
present  footing  with  Sir  George  Lee,  I  would  fain  use  all  the 
early  means  necessary  to  secure  your  Grace's  interest,  without 
affronting  him,  upon  a  perpetual  foundation  in  a  society  which, 

1  Add.  MS.  32870,  f.  366;  see  also  f.  233. 


28o  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

being  composed  of  laymen  and  gentlemen,  mostly  of  independent 
fortunes,  is  to  be  managed  with  more  attention  than  has  been 
usual,  and  with  more  delicacy  than  any  other,  the  constitution 
of  it  giving  the  Master  not  the  least  shadow  of  power  but  in 
consequence  of  the  majority  not  agreeing,  which  in  such  a 
society  can  never  be  your  Grace's  interest  to  foment,  but  rather 
to  reconcile  all  parties  to  yourself  under  any  one  person  with 
whom  they  may  chose  to  act  in  concurrence,  who  as  an  equal 
will  not  give  them  either  envy  or  jealousy i.' 

In  giving  this  advice  Marriott  had  doubtless  one  eye 
upon  his  professional  prospects,  for  he  was  naturally 
unwilling  to  offend  an  eminent  and  influential  civilian^: 
and  he  possibly  under-estimated  the  difficulty  of  har- 
monising the  interests  of  Lee  and  Newcastle  in  Trinity 
Hall.  But  the  death  of  Sir  George  Lee  in  December 
1758  relieved  him  of  a  task  which  might  have  proved 
impossible,  and  Newcastle  of  a  rival  who  would  always 
be  in  a  position  to  cause  trouble.  From  this  time  on- 
ward Dr  Simpson,  who  succeeded  Lee  as  Dean  of 
Arches  and  Judge  of  the  Prerogative  Court  of  Canter- 
bury, and  received  the  honour  of  knighthood,  became 
one  of  Newcastle's  staunchest  adherents  in  the  univer- 
sity: and  this  was  not  the  only  consequence  of  Lee's 
death.  The  Duke's  interference  in  the  affairs  of  Trinity 
Hall  had  been  mainly  a  defensive  measure  provoked  by 
Lee's  attack,  and,  now  that  the  danger  was  over,  he 
was  ready  to  leave  the  college  to  manage  its  own  con- 
cerns. There  is  no  evidence  that  he  played  any  part  in 

1  Add.  MS.  32871,  f.  161;  see  also  Add.  MS.  32877,  f.  130. 

"^  In  September  1756  Marriott,  in  a  letter  to  Newcastle,  expressed 
his  fear  that  'my  very  showing  any  inclination  to  traverse  Sir  George's 
interest  will  most  certainly  expose  me  to  his  severe  resentment  as  a 
Judge  which,  to  so  young  an  advocate  as  I  shall  be,  will  do  me  an  irre- 
vocable prejudice  for  ever  after.  I  must  humbly  hope  therefore  that 
your  Grace's  favour  will  set  me  in  good  time  above  that  resentment 
by  introducing  and  supporting  me  in  Sir  George's  own  court  as  the 
client  of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle.'  Add.  MS.  32867,  f.  417. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  281 

the  election  in  1760  of  Samuel  Hallifax  to  the  Fellow- 
ship vacated  by  George  Carr,  or  in  the  election  in  March 
1 764  of  Pedley  to  the  Fellowship  vacated  by  Crespigny; 
and  this  is  not  surprising  if,  as  seems  to  have  been  the 
case,  such  interference  on  his  part  was  the  exception 
and  not  the  rule.  Nor  can  he  be  held  to  have  suffered 
by  thus  withholding  his  hand.  In  the  days  of  adversity 
which  followed  the  accession  of  George  III  to  the 
throne,  the  Master  of  Trinity  Hall  and  five  of  the 
Fellows,  Marriott,  Wynne,  Calvert,  Francis  Simpson, 
and  Hallifax,  supported  the  Newcastle  interest  in  the 
university  and  voted  for  Lord  Hardwicke  as  High 
Steward.  The  Judas  of  the  society  was  Dr  Ridlington 
who  conveniently  forgot  his  promises  of  eternal  grati- 
tude and  enlisted  under  the  banner  of  Lord  Sandwich^. 
It  is  clear  that  the  Duke  had  retired  into  the  back- 
ground as  far  as  Trinity  Hall  was  concerned,  believing 
that  Marriott  and  his  other  friends  in  the  college  would 
watch  over  his  interests;  but  the  death  of  Sir  Edward 
Simpson  on  May  21st,  1764,  forced  him  to  emerge 
from  his  retreat.  The  times  were  too  critical  to  permit 
him  to  be  indifferent  to  the  succession  to  Sir  Edward 
Simpson  in  the  mastership.  The  dispute  over  Lord 
Hardwicke's  election  was  awaiting  a  decision  in  the 
law  courts :  and,  as  a  fresh  election  might  be  ordered, 
it  was  of  the  greatest  importance  that  the  new  Master 
of  Trinity  Hall,  who  might  be  the  next  Vice-Chancellor, 
should  be  a  staunch  supporter  of  the  Duke  and  Lord 
Hardwicke.  Yet  at  the  outset  Newcastle  had  little  real 
cause  for  anxiety.  The  statutes  of  the  college  provided 
that  no  one  could  be  elected  Master  unless  he  received 
the  votes  of  at  least  seven  out  of  the  twelve  Fellows, 
and  that,  in  the  event  of  no  candidate  receiving  this 
necessary  minimum,  the  Chancellor,  as  visitor  of  the 
college,  should  appoint  to  the  mastership:  and  as 
1  Add.  MS.  32957,  f.  322. 


282    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

Newcastle  believed  that  he  could  count  upon  the  loyalty 
of  at  least  five  of  the  Fellows,  and  that  at  least  one  or 
two  would  not  trouble  to  attend  the  election,  it  appeared 
to  be  within  his  power  either  to  obtain  the  election  of 
a  friend  or  to  secure  a  devolution  of  the  appointment 
to  himself. 

'The  first  thing  I  beg  of  you'  he  wrote  to  the  Bishop  of 
Norwich  on  the  day  of  Sir  Edward  Simpson's  death  'is  that  you 
would  see,  as  soon  as  you  can,  our  friends  of  Trinity  Hall,  Dr 
Calvert,  Dr  Wynne,  Dr  Marriot  (sic)  and,  I  had  forgot,  Dr 
Simpson,  and  that  you  would  shew  them  what  I  had  written  to 
the  Archbishop  in  their  favour,  and  that  you  would  call  upon  the 
Archbishop  yourself  and  talk  over  the  affair  with  himi.  But  the 
most  material  of  all  is  what  relates  to  the  mastership  of  Trinity 
Hall.  I  have  no  view  but  to  have  a  good  one,  and  I  beg  you 
would... speak  to  our  friends  at  Doctors  Commons  and  write 

immediately  to  Dr  Halifax^  (sic)  to  take  care  of  it Pray  write 

to  our  Cambridge  friends,  Caryl,  the  Dean  of  Ely^  and  the 
Bishop  of  Lincoln  about  the  mastership  of  Trinity  Hall.  I  am 
amazed  that  none  of  you  sent  me  word  of  the  imminent  danger 
this  poor  man  was  in*.' 

Newcastle,  as  was  not  unusual  with  him,  was  anxious 
and  flurried,  and  undoubtedly  what  he  most  feared  was 
that  the  Mastership  might  be  secured  by  Dr  Ridlington 
who  would  be  supported  by  the  whole  weight  of  Lord 
Sandwich's  influence.  This  was  a  catastrophe  to  be 
averted  at  all  cost:  but  it  is  likely  that  at  the  opening 
of  what  was  to  be  an  arduous  and  unsuccessful  campaign, 
the  Duke  believed  that  there  was  little  danger  of  defeat. 
Confidently  relying  upon  the  votes  of  five  of  the  twelve 
Fellows,  he  conceived  that  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  and 

^  This  refers  to  the  disposal  of  the  civil  law  preferments  vacated 
by  Simpson's  death;  see  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  19. 

2  Dr  Hallifax  was  chosen  as  one  of  the  two  tutorial  and  therefore 
resident  Fellows:  the  other  was  Dr  Ridlington. 

^  Dr  Thomas,  Master  of  Christ's. 

4  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  24. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES     283 

his  other  friends  at  Cambridge,  starting  from  such  a 
position  of  advantage,  might  easily  achieve  victory.  He 
knew  however  that  time  was  of  importance,  and  that 
Sandwich  would  prove  himself  a  redoubtable  and  un- 
scrupulous antagonist. 

In  his  letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  Newcastle  had 
emphasised  that  he  was  unprejudiced  in  favour  of  any 
one  particular  candidate  and  was  solely  intent  upon 
meeting  the  wishes  of  his  friends  among  the  Fellows : 
and,  had  this  indeed  been  the  case,  his  task  would  have 
been  far  easier.  There  is  good  reason  to  think  however 
that  he  was  anxious  for  Dr  Calvert  to  be  elected^:  for, 
apart  from  other  considerations,  it  is  otherwise  some- 
what inexplicable  that,  on  hearing  from  the  Bishop  of 
Norwich  that  the  gossip  of  Doctors  Commons  suggested 
Calvert  as  a  likely  Master,  he  should  have  decided  at 
once  to  adopt  him  as  a  candidate.  But  as  the  Bishop  also 
mentioned  that  neither  he  nor  the  Chancellor's  other 
agents  in  the  university  were  of  any  use  in  this 
emergency,  as  they  knew  'none  of  the  Fellows  but  the 
five  who  want  not  our  solicitations^, '  Newcastle  at  once 
sent  for  Dr  Marriott  and  on  May  22nd  conferred  with 
him.  His  object  in  this  interview  was  certainly  to  instruct 
Marriott  to  inaugurate  a  campaign  on  behalf  of  Calvert, 
and  it  is  probable  that  he  had  never  contemplated  the 
possibility  of  resistance  on  the  part  of  his  faithful  fol- 
lower. Marriott  however  had  not  served  Newcastle 
for  naught,  and  he  was  unlikely  to  forget  that  he  had 
served  him  far  longer  than  Calvert.  He  consequently 
felt  himself  slighted,  thus  to  be  sent  for  merely  to  be 

1  He  urged  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  to  appoint  Calvert  as 
Dean  of  Arches  in  place  of  Simpson,  and  gave  as  a  reason  that  Calvert 
'has  two  near  relations,  Mr  John  Calvert  and  Mr  Nicholson  Calvert, 
members  of  parliament  and  very  zealous  friends,  who  interest  themselves 
extremely  for  him.'  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  19. 

2  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  26. 


284  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

instructed  to  promote  the  success  of  a  colleague,  and 
the  interview  was  stormy.  He  told  the  Duke  that  he 
could  not  vote  for  Calvert  as  Master,  that  Dr  Hallifax 
was  equally  unwilling  to  do  so,  and  that,  if  Newcastle 
did  not  quickly  adopt  another  candidate,  Dr  Ridlington 
would  inevitably  be  elected  Master.  He  seems  also  to 
have  made  fairly  clear  that  he  himself  was  the  proper 
candidate  for  the  Duke  to  adopt,  though  he  dealt  more 
fully  with  this  point  in  conversation,  a  few  days  later, 
with  John  Roberts  who  was  in  Newcastle's  confidence 
and  had  been  Henry  Pelham's  secretary. 

'He  has  already  acquainted  me'  wrote  Roberts  on  May  25th 
'with  his  determination  to  be  a  candidate  for  the  mastership  of 
Trinity  Hall  himself,  and  he  told  me  at  the  same  time  that  he 
had  been  with  your  Grace  at  Claremont,  made  the  same 
declaration  to  you,  and  had  desired  your  assistance.  He  seemed 
to  be  much  mortified  at  not  receiving  more  encouragement 
from  your  Grace,  and  dropt  to  me  obliquely  that  if  he  had  not 
voted  as  Your  Grace  desired  him,  or  should  even  now  apply  to 
those  who  are  not  your  friends,  he  should  not  fail  of  reaping 
some  advantage  from  the  event  of  Dr  Simpson's  death^.' 

Marriott  was  angry  and  aggrieved,  and  not  without 
justification.  He  probably  was  human  enough  to  exag- 
gerate the  value  of  the  services  he  had  rendered :  but 
he  certainly  had  been  of  assistance  to  the  Duke  in  the 
past,  and  not  unnaturally  resented  being  passed  over. 
It  was  the  old  tale  of  the  anger  of  the  labourer,  who  had 
endured  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day,  only  to  discover 
that  he  had  done  no  better  than  the  man  hired  at  the 
eleventh  hour:  but  it  is  Newcastle's  apparent  obtuseness 
and  not  Marriott's  anger  that  constitutes  the  problem. 
It  is  of  course  possible  that  the  Duke  believed  that  his 
faithful  follower  was  too  well  schooled  and  disciplined 
to  think  of  the  mastership  unless  it  was  his  patron's 
will  that  he  should  have  it;  but  this  does  not  explain 

^  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  79;  see  also  f.  34. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  285 

the  Duke's  preference  for  Calvert.  Certainty  is  out  of 
the  question,  but  there  is  some  reason  to  think  that  his 
conduct  was  not  quite  so  unpremeditated  or  without 
thought  as  it  might  superficially  appear.  From  a  stray 
remark  in  John  Roberts'  letter  it  appears  that,  sub- 
sequent to  the  accession  of  George  III  to  the  throne, 
Marriott  had  displayed  an  inclination  to  desert  his 
patron  and  throw  in  his  lot  with  those  who  were  com- 
passing the  overthrow  of  the  whigs;  and,  though  he 
repented  of  his  wrong  doing  and  remained  loyal  to  his 
party,  a  certain  amount  of  pressure  had  been  necessary 
to  keep  him  in  the  straight  and  narrow  path^.  It  is 
possible  that  the  lesson  had  not  been  thrown  away  upon 
the  Duke,  and  that  he  passed  over  Marriott  for  the  very 
good  reason  that,  though  he  used  him,  he  distrusted 
him.  It  is  at  least  suggestive  that,  after  he  was  perfectly 
well  acquainted  with  Marriott's  ambition,  he  never  con- 
templated supporting  his  candidature  for  the  mastership. 
But  whether  Marriott's  rebellion  was  a  risk  which 
had  to  be  incurred  or  was  provoked  by  a  blunder  which 
might  have  been  avoided,  there  is  no  doubt  that  it 
seriously  deranged  the  Duke's  plans.  It  was  possible 
that  Marriott  was  speaking  the  truth  when  he  said  that 
Calvert  had  no  chance  of  securing  election  and  that 
Hallifax  would  be  loath  to  vote  for  him :  and,  if  this 
were  to  prove  the  case,  of  the  five  votes  which  Newcastle 
had  confidently  counted  upon  for  Calvert,  only  three 
would  be  left.  But  two  or  three  days  after  Marriott 
had  visited  Claremont,  even  worse  news  came.  It  was 
reliably  reported  that  Hallifax  would  not  only  not  vote 
for  Calvert  but  had  pledged  himself  to  vote  for 
Ridlington,  and  that  Ansell  had  also  undertaken  to 
support  Ridlington  who  was  coiifident  of  success-. 
Hence  if  Newcastle  could  count  upon  three  votes  for 
his  candidate,  Ridlington  could  count  upon  an  equal 
1  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  79.  2  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  81. 


286  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

number  for  himself;  and  in  such  an  evenly  matched 
game  it  was  impossible  to  foretell  the  winner.  Moreover 
it  was  possible  that  the  advantage  lay  with  Ridlington, 
for  it  was  rumoured  that  Mr  Milles  of  Canterbury, 
who  like  John  Robinson  was  a  confirmed  absentee, 
might  attend  the  election  and  vote  for  Ridlington. 
'I  take  him  to  be  a  humourist'  wrote  Calvert  'who 
seldom  stirs  out,  but  very  able  to  travel  if  pressed,  and 
they  reckon  him  one  of  their  number^. ' 

The  situation  was  undoubtedly  very  serious.  As  long 
as  Newcastle  had  been  able  to  rely  upon  five  of  the 
Fellows  supporting  him,  and  upon  two  being  absent,  he 
rightly  assumed  that,  even  if  the  candidate  he  favoured 
failed  to  secure  the  necessary  minimum  of  votes,  no 
other  candidate  could  be  more  fortunate,  and  that  it 
would  fall  to  him  as  visitor  to  appoint  the  new  Master. 
But  if,  as  it  appeared,  he  could  only  count  upon  the 
loyalty  of  Wynne,  Calvert  and  Frank  Simpson,  and  if 
Milles  was  going  to  emerge  from  his  retreat  at  Canter- 
bury, it  was  possible  that  Ridlington  might  dissuade 
Marriott  from  standing,  and  secure  the  seven  votes 
which  would  give  him  the  mastership.  It  was  obvious 
that  active  measures  were  needed,  and  they  were  forth- 
coming. The  Duke  was  prepared,  if  necessary,  to  drop 
Calvert  as  a  candidate:  but,  before  coming  to  a  final 
decision  on  this  point,  he  wrote  on  May  2  ^th  to  both 
Dr  Hallifax  and  Richard  Milles,  who  was  a  nephew  of 
Mr  Milles  of  Canterbury,  asking  Dr  Hallifax  to  reserve 
his  vote  for  the  mastership  'for  such  friend  of  ours  as 
shall  be  thought  most  likely  to  succeed':  and  asking 
Richard  Milles  to  persuade  his  uncle  to  do  the  same. 
'The  election  or  devolution  to  the  Chancellor  will 
depend'  he  urged  Hallifax  'upon  your  vote^.' 

Richard  Milles  promised  to  write  to  his  uncle  in  the 
sense  indicated  by  Newcastle,  but  expressed  the  opinion 

1  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  81.  2  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  83,  f.  85. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  287 

that  his  kinsman's  health  was  too  infirm  to  permit  of 
his  undertaking  a  journey  to  Cambridge^.  As  he  was 
likely,  if  he  came,  to  vote  for  Ridlington,  it  was  satis- 
factory to  hear  that  he  might  be  prevented  from  at- 
tending, for  his  absence  would  certainly  assist  the  Duke 
in  bringing  about  a  devolution  to  himself.  But  from 
Hallifax  came  a  reply  which  left  no  doubt  that  he  was 
deeply  pledged  to  support  Ridlington,  and  his  letter 
witnesses  to  genuine  distress  of  mind. 

'  It  is  a  cruel  circumstance '  he  wrote  '  to  be  thrown  into  a 
situation  which  makes  it  necessary  for  me  either  to  violate  the 
duties  of  friendship  to  one  to  whom  I  am  under  the  greatest 
obligation,  or  seem  to  relinquish  or  neglect  your  Grace's  interests 
in  this  university,  which  I  feel  myself  bound  by  every  tie  of 
gratitude  and  honour  to  promote  to  the  utmost  of  my  power. 
When  Dr  Ridlington  was  informed  of  the  death  of  our  late 
worthy  Master  he  applied  to  me  for  my  vote  and  assistance. 
Considering  the  real  services  I  had  received  from  him  when  I 
was  endeavouring  to  secure  my  own  election  at  Trinity  Hall, 
the  intimate  connexions  that  have  since  that  time  subsisted 
between  us,  being  both  of  us  jointly  concerned  in  carrying  on 
the  business  of  the  pupils,  together  with  the  readiness  he  has 
shown  on  all  occasions  to  contribute  to  everything  that  might 
make  my  situation  easy  in  the  college,  I  thought  he  would  have 
just  reason  to  complain  of  unkindness  from  me,  was  I  to  refuse 
complying  with  his  request,  the  first  and  the  only  request  he 
ever  made  me.  I  told  him  therefore  that  my  vote  was  at  his 
service  if  he  could  make  any  use  of  it:  at  the  same  time  giving 
it  as  my  opinion  that  his  being  in  orders  would  be  an  insuperable 
objection  to  him  with  the  gentlemen  at  the  Commons,  and 
desiring  him  in  that  case,  if  he  found  he  had  no  chance  of  suc- 
ceeding himself,  he  would  leave  me  at  full  liberty  to  assist  any 
other  person  I  pleased.  This  is  the  whole  of  the  case  between  the 
Professor  and  me,  and  I  own  that  I  am  exceedingly  anxious 
that  your  Grace  should  consider  my  conduct  on  this  occasion  in 
a  favourable  light.  I  do  assure  your  Grace  that  I  have  no  oblique 
ends  of  my  own  to  serve,  no  crooked  politics  to  persuade  me  to 

1  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  104. 


288  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

swerve  from  the  duty  to  which  your  Grace  has  the  justest 
claim^.' 

The  pathos  of  this  letter  was  probably  wasted  upon 
Newcastle  who  must  have  been  pre-occupied  with  the 
thought  that  Hallifax's  vote  was  irretrievably  lost  if 
Ridlington  stood  for  the  mastership.  Information  from 
other  sources  also  made  clear  that  in  no  conceivable 
circumstances  could  Calvert  secure  election  as  Master : 
and  that,  as  there  was  a  strong  prejudice  in  the  society 
against  allowing  the  visitor  to  appoint,  it  was  probable 
that,  if  Calvert  continued  as  a  candidate,  a  sufficient 
number  of  the  electors  would  rally  round  Ridlington 
to  secure  his  election.  Therefore,  after  a  few  days 
thought,  the  Duke  decided  to  adopt  Wynne  instead  of 
Calvert  as  his  candidate:  and  there  is  no  doubt  that 
he  was  very  well  advised  to  make  the  change.  It  was 
possible  that  Dr  Dale,  Pedley,  and  even  Milles,  if  he 
came,  might  be  persuaded  to  vote  for  Wynne,  Hallifax 
would  certainly  do  so  if  Ridlington  ultimately  decided 
not  to  stand,  and  it  was  further  discovered  that  if 
Marriott  did  not  come  forward  as  a  candidate  and  was 
obliged  to  choose  between  Ridlington  and  Wynne,  he 
would  support  the  latter^.  Therefore  on  May  30th  the 
Duke  informed  Calvert  that  Wynne  was  to  be  the 
official  candidate  of  the  party,  and  Calvert  loyally  ac- 
cepted the  decision^.  But  Newcastle  considered  that 
something  more  was  needed  to  be  done  in  order  to  make 
as  certain  as  possible  of  success,  and  he  rose  to  the 
occasion. 

'I  find'  he  told  Calvert  'most  of  the  Fellows  are  afraid  of  a 
devolution,  and  that  some  of  them  may  vote  for  Dr  Ridlington, 
not  out  of  regard  to  him  but  purely  to  prevent  a  devolution,  and 

1  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  148. 

2  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  118,  f.  146,  f.  150,  f.  172,  f.  200,  f.  227, 
f.  247. 

3  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  200. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  289 

that  nothing  would  so  effectually  remove  that  objection  as  a 
previous  declaration  from  me  (not  publick  but  to  be  understood) 
that,  in  case  of  a  devolution  to  the  Chancellor,  I  would  appoint 
that  person  who  should  be  the  most  agreeable  to  the  majority 
of  my  friends  in  Trinity  HalF.' 

This  '  previous  declaration '  was  consequently  made : 
but  as  the  main  objection  of  the  society  was  to  the 
principle  of  a  devolution,  it  was  unlikely  to  be  very 
effectual.  Early  in  June  however  a  change  came  over 
the  situation.  Though  supported  by  Lord  Sandwich^, 
Dr  Ridlington  discovered  that  being  in  orders  was  a 
fatal  disability  to  a  candidate  for  the  mastership  of 
Trinity  Hall.  He  had  successfully  engaged  the  votes  of 
Pedley  and  Hallifax:  but  Matthew  Robinson  refused 
to  support  him  because  he  was  a  clergyman,  and,  as 
Robinson  possessed  considerable  influence  in  the  society, 
Ridlington  wisely  abandoned  the  contest^.  Consequently 
Hallifax  was  now  free  to  give  his  vote  to  Wynne"*,  and 
Pedley  also  undertook  to  vote  for  Wynne  against  any 
other  candidates  except  Ridlington,  Ansell,  and  Matthew 
Robinson^  As  Ridlington  had  decided  to  withdraw, 
and  Robinson  and  Ansell  had  not  yet  appeared  in  the 
field,  there  was  a  reasonable  chance  of  Pedley's  vote 
being  secured  for  Wynne  who  would  thus  be  supported 
by  five  out  of  the  twelve  Fellows.  But  any  reliable  fore- 
cast was  entirely  out  of  the  question,  for  the  situation 
was  constantly  being  modified,  and  it  was  impossible  to 
foresee  the  events  of  the  following  day.  For  instance  no 
sooner  was  it  known  that  Ridlington  would  not  stand 
than  Marriott  executed  his  threat  and  came  forward  as 

1  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  200. 

^  '1  am  informed'  wrote  Dr  Burrell  to  Newcasde  on  June  4th 
'Lord  Sandwich  tries  every  possible  method  to  procure  an  election 
in  favour  of  Dr  Ridlington,  and  for  that  purpose  sent  a  very  extraordinary 
letter  yesterday  to  one  of  the  Fellows.'  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  254. 

3  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  227.  *  Ibid. 

5  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  245. 


19 


290  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

a  candidate  for  the  mastership.  He  had  bided  his  time, 
knowing  perfectly  well  that  if  he  and  Ridlington  both 
stood,  they  would  so  divide  the  votes  that  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  new  Master  would  inevitably  fall  to  the 
Chancellor;  and  he  was  certainly  right  to  seize  the 
opportunity  afforded  by  Ridlington's  withdrawal.  He 
was  able  to  count  upon  the  support  of  Matthew 
Robinson,  Ridlington,  and  Ansell,  and,  as  it  was  under- 
stood that  each  candidate  would  vote  for  himself,  he 
started  his  campaign  with  at  least  four  votes  in  his 
favour.  Lord  Sandwich  moreover  adopted  him  as  his 
official  candidate  1;  and  though  Newcastle  and  his 
friends  made  light  of  his  chance  of  success,  it  is  possible 
that  their  optimism  was  more  official  than  sincere. 

Thus  of  the  twelve  Fellows,  including  the  two  candi- 
dates, five  were  ranged  on  the  side  of  Wynne  and  four 
on  the  side  of  Marriott:  and,  unless  there  was  a  change 
in  the  situation,  neither  candidate  could  secure  election. 
The  three  electors  who  had  not  yet  declared  themselves 
were  Dr  Dale,  John  Robinson,  and  Milles;  and  as  it 
was  correctly  assumed  that  John  Robinson  would  not 
attend,  the  interest  centred  round  Dale  and  Milles.  It 
was  within  their  power,  by  voting  for  Wynne,  to  make 
sure  of  his  election :  but,  as  they  were  both  unknown  to 
Newcastle^,  itwas  unlikely  that  they  would  be  prejudiced 
in  favour  of  his  candidate.  But  it  did  not  necessarily 
follow  that  they  would  be  in  favour  of  Marriott.  Dr  Dale, 
who  might  be  counted  upon  to  attend,  refused  indeed 
to  commit  himself  until  he  was  better  informed  as  to 
his  own  chance  of  securing  the  prize^;  and  though  the 
'humourist,'  Milles,  was  worried  by  his  nephew  and 
possibly  visited  at  Canterbury  by  Marriott  and  Matthew 

1  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  304. 

2  It  is  significant  that  Newcastle  communicated  with  Dale  through 
Charles  Yorke,  and  with  Milles  through  his  nephew. 

3  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  284. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  291 

Robinson^,  he  too  was  not  to  be  drawn,  and  resisted 
the  importunity  of  his  suitors  with  the  desperate 
courage  of  an  invalid.  In  reply  to  the  letter  written  by 
his  nephew  at  Newcastle's  request,  Milles  declared  that 
he  wished  to  remain  at  liberty  to  act  as  he  thought  best, 
and  from  this  position  he  refused  to  budge^. 

There  was  however  a  general  feeling  that,  when  it 
came  to  the  point,  Milles  would  not  break  the  habit  of 
a  lifetime  by  visiting  his  college,  and  if  he  and  John 
Robinson  were  both  absent,  Newcastle  fondly  believed 
that  a  devolution  to  himself  was  inevitable,  and  that 
therefore  Wynne  would  secure  the  mastership  by  his 
nomination^.  But  he  soon  discovered  that  the  declara- 
tion he  had  made  that  he  would  *  appoint  that  person 
who  should  be  the  most  agreeable  to  the  majority  of 
my  friends  in  Trinity  Hall,'  had  not  been  quite  so 
effective  as  he  had  hoped.  Though  Calvert,  Wynne  and 
Simpson  were  prepared  to  go  all  lengths  to  thwart 
Marriott's  ambition,  there  was  a  suspicion  that  Pedley, 
and  much  more  than  a  suspicion  that  Hallifax,  would, 
in  the  event  of  Wynne  failing  to  secure  the  necessary 
minimum,  rather  vote  for  Marriott  than  allow  no  elec- 
tion to  be  held.  Pedley  indeed  affirmed  to  Francis 
Simpson  that  he  would  rather  'see  a  devolution  than 
vote  for  Dr  Marriott*,'  and  had  promised  Wynne  that 
he  would  not  vote  for  Marriott,  'though  a  lapse  should 
be  the  consequence^';  but  he  was  not  regarded  as 
absolutely  safe,  and  considerable  alarm  was  felt  as  to 

1  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  254,  f.  337,  f.  367. 

-  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  252,  f.  282.  For  det-^ils  concerning  the  situa- 
tion at  this  stage,  see  Add.  MS.  33061,  f.  269;  Add.  MS.  32959, 
f.  235,  f.  237,  f.  272,  f.  280,  f.  306,  f.  331,  f.  351;  Add.  MS.  3564.0, 
f.  136. 

3  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  237. 

^  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  353;  see  also  f.  337. 

5  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  347. 

19 — 2 


292  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

the  attitude  he  might  ultimately  adopt.  He  was  justly 
suspected,  for,  unknown  to  his  friends  and  in  defiance 
of  his  promise,  he  had  pledged  himself  to  vote  for 
Marriott  rather  than  allow  a  devolution.  Hallifax  on 
the  other  hand  acted  with  commendable  frankness, 
quite  definitely  and  openly  stating  that,  if  Wynne  failed 
to  secure  election,  he  would  vote  for  Marriott  rather 
than  allow  the  Chancellor  to  appoint  the  new  Master^; 
and  to  this  determination  he  adhered  in  spite  of  the 
admonitions  of  his  old  Master,  Dr  Caryl  2. 

'I  told  him'  Caryl  reported  to  the  Duke  'that  there  might 
be  room  for  such  apprehensions  if  there  was  any  danger  of  a 
stranger  being  placed  over  them,  but  after  what  your  Grace 
had  been  so  good  as  to  declare,  he  could  not  have  a  suspicion  on 
that  head^.' 

Even  more  emphatically  did  the  Duke  address  the  man 
who  threatened  to  wreck  the  campaign. 

'For  God's  sake,  then,  my  good  Sir'  wrote  Newcastle  'con- 
sider well  what  you  are  doing,  and  remember  that  by  falling  in 
with  these  people,  under  the  very  false  notion  of  preventing  a 
lapse,... you  are  adding  weight  to  the  very  set  of  men  you  have 
been  so  strenuously  and  honourably  opposing*.' 

But  Hallifax  was  not  to  be  moved  by  arguments  or 
threats,  and  thus  for  a  second  time  within  a  few  days 
he  played  an  ungrateful  part.  He  was  clearly  an  un- 
comfortable and  most  inconvenient  ally:  but  he  was 
able  to  give  a  reasoned  defence  of  the  position  he  had 
taken  up. 

'It  has  always  been  accounted'  he  wrote  on  June  13th  'so 
wrong  a  thing  at  Trinity  Hall  to  suffer  a  lapse  of  any  kind,  and 
we  are  so  plainly  directed  by  our  statutes  to  agree  in  an  election, 
if  it  is  possible,  that  I  own  I  cannot  reconcile  it  to  the  principles 

1  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  245,  f.  337,  f.  347. 

^  Before  his  election  to  a  Fellowship  at  Trinity  Hall,  Hallifax  was 
a  Fellow  of  Jesus. 

2  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  347.  4  /^jd_  ]y[s.  32959,  f.  369. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  293 

which  I  have  been  taught  to  entertain,  to  concur  with  any  of 
the  Fellows  to  make  a  lapse  in  the  present  instance.  You  seem 
to  think  that  it  all  rests  on  me  alone  to  make  or  prevent  a 
devolution  to  the  Chancellor.  Give  me  leave  to  say,  Sir,  that 
you  have  been  misinformed.  There  are,  most  undoubtedly, 
seven  without  me  who  have  resolved  at  all  adventures  to  have 
an  election,  and  the  names  of  the  seven  are  these — Ridlington, 
Robinson,  Ansell,  Marriott,  Pedley,  Dale,  and  Dr  Wynne  him- 
self who  on  all  occasions,  and  more  particularly  on  the  present 
occasion,  has  declared  repeatedly  that  he  thought  it  of  all  things 
the  wrongest  to  suffer  a  lapse,  and  that,  as  for  his  own  part,  in 
order  to  prevent  it  he  would  willingly  go  over  with  all  his 
interest  to  any  of  the  practising  civilians  at  the  Commons  to 
make  an  election.  Being  asked  to  explain  himself  what  he  meant 
by  the  practising  civilians,  he  answered  Calvert,  Simpson, 
Marriott,  and  himself  ...I  believe  it  is  an  impracticable  thing  for 
Dr  Wynne  to  secure  his  election,  and  therefore  the  next  person 
at  the  Commons,  on  whom  the  society  have  turned  their  eyes, 
is  Dr  Marriott.  I  will  freely  own  to  you  that  Dr  Wynne  is  the 
more  eligible  man  of  the  two,  and  I  am  sure  it  was  in  compliance 
to  what  Dr  Caryl  told  me  would  be  agreeable  to  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle,  that  I  went  that  very  morning  to  Dr  Wynne  and 
promised  him  my  second  vote,  and  I  have  contributed  all  I 
could  to  gain  others  to  his  interests.  But  I  cannot  persuade  my- 
self to  devote  myself  so  entirely  to  Dr  Wynne's  cause  as  to  go 
contrary  to  the  sense  of  the  society^.' 

Dr  Hallifax's  defence  cannot  be  described  as  masterly. 
He  admitted  that  Wynne  would  make  a  better  Master 
than  Marriott,  and  yet  in  certain  circumstances  was 
prepared  to  vote  for  the  latter  against  the  man  he  believed 
to  be  the  better  candidate.  It  is  moreover  impossible 
to  believe  that  Wynne  was  opposed  to  a  devolution 
which  was  indeed  his  only  chance  of  obtaining  the 
Mastership  ^.  Yet,  though  the  apologia  is  not  very  con- 

1  Add.  MS.  32959,  £.381. 

"  On  June  1 2th  it  was  reported  that  Lord  Sandwich  was  extreme!/ 
angry  with  Wynne,  because  'as  Dr  Marriott  has  six  votes,  he  (Wynne) 
will  not  make  the  seventh.'  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  371. 


294  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

vincing,  it  is  unnecessary  to  assume  that  Hallifax  was 
inspired  by  unworthy  or  corrupt  motives.  It  is  more 
probable  that  he  was  one  of  those  exasperating  politicians, 
the  bane  of  the  party  to  which  they  belong,  who  are  for 
ever  starting  inconvenient  scruples,  and  who  wish  the 
end  without  wishing  the  only  means  by  which  the  end 
can  be  attained. 

The  election  was  fixed  for  Friday,  June  15th,  and 
on  the  eve  of  the  decisive  day  the  issue  was  still  in  doubt. 
It  was  known  that  neither  John  Robinson  nor  Milles 
would  attend,  and  that  of  the  remaining  ten  electors, 
five  on  the  first  scrutiny  would  vote  for  Wynne  and 
four  for  Marriott,  Dr  Dale  not  having  yet  declared  his 
vote.  It  was  therefore  certain  that,  even  if  Dale  gave  his 
vote  for  Marriott,  no  election  could  take  place,  and  the 
appointment  would  lapse  to  the  Chancellor  unless  on 
a  second  or  later  scrutiny  two  of  the  electors  transferred 
their  votes  in  order  that  there  should  be  an  election. 
Unfortunately  for  Newcastle,  while  there  was  no  chance 
of  any  of  Marriott's  supporters  voting  for  Wynne  at 
any  stage  of  the  proceedings,  it  was  certain  that  Hallifax 
would  vote  for  Marriott  rather  than  allow  a  devolution, 
and  it  became  increasingly  clear  that  Pedley,  in  spite 
of  his  promises  and  professions,  would  probably  do  the 
same^.  Hence  everything  depended  upon  Dr  Dale's  vote. 
It  he  voted  for  Wynne  and  was  prepared  to  face  a 
devolution  Marriott,  even  if  both  Hallifax  and  Pedley 
voted  for  him,  could  not  be  elected,  but  if  Dale  voted 
for  Marriott  it  was  within  the  power  of  Hallifax  and 
Pedley,  if  they  acted  together,  to  make  Marriott  Master. 
Hence  when  two  or  three  days  before  the  election  the 
rumour  was  spread  that  Dale  had  committed  himself 
to  Marriott,  the  greatest  despondency  prevailed  among 
Newcastle's  followers  in  the  college.  'Nothing  can  save 
us'  wrote  Wynne  on  June  13th  'but  another  freak  of 
1  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  144;  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  379. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  295 

Matt  Robinson^,'  but  when,  on  the  day  following,  the 
rumour  was  discovered  to  be  untrue,  a  more  cheerful 
view  was  taken  of  the  situation  2.' 

The  rumour  unfortunately  proved  to  be  an  intelligent 
anticipation.  When  the  Fellows  met  on  the  afternoon 
of  Friday  June  1 5th,  Dale  declared  for  Marriott,  and 
thus  on  the  first  scrutiny  each  candidate  received  five 
votes,  Wynne,  Simpson,  Hallifax,  Pedley,  and  Calvert 
voting  for  Wynne,  and  Marriott,  Matthew  Robinson, 
Ansell,  Ridlington,  and  Dale  voting  for  Marriott.  They 
then  proceeded  to  a  second  scrutiny,  but  without  how- 
ever effecting  any  change  in  the  distribution  of  votes. 
On  the  third  scrutiny,  however,  Hallifax  voted  for 
Marriott  who  consequently  now  had  six  votes  to 
Wynne's  four.  At  this  stage  Pedley  suggested  that  the 
election  should  be  postponed  until  the  following  day: 
but  the  proposal  was  not  accepted,  and,  after  a  brief 
adjournment  for  chapel,  a  fourth  scrutiny  was  taken 
which  again  showed  Marriott  as  having  six  votes  and 
W^nne  four.  But  on  the  fifth  scrutiny  Pedley,  declaring 
'that  of  the  two  evils  he  must  chuse  the  least,'  voted 
for  Marriott  who  was  consequently  elected  into  the 
mastership  and  admitted  on  the  following  day^. 

It  was  a  mortifying  end  to  all  Newcastle's  labours, 
and  all  the  more  mortifying  because  the  victor  had  been 
a  faithful  follower  and  dependent  of  the  Duke.  Marriott 
indeed  was  amply  revenged  for  his  claims  upon  the 
mastership  having  been  slighted  by  his  patron,  and  it 
was  undoubtedly  very  fortunate  for  him  that  he  found 
Lord  Sandwich  ready  at  hand  to  espouse  his  cause.  To 
what  degree  the  support  of  Sandv/ich  contributed  to- 
wards his  success  it  is  difficult  to  say*.   It  is  certain 

1  Add.  MS.  35640,  f.  144.  2  /^(j(^_  ]y[g_  32959,  f.  407. 

2  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  413,  f.  421,  f.  423,  f.  425,  f.  465;  Add.  MS. 
35640,  f.  146;  Add.  MS.  5852,  f.  149. 

^  'Lord    Sandwich'  wrote    Caryl   on    20th  June  'I    know  values 


296  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

that  Newcastle  would  have  won  the  battle  but  for  the 
conduct  of  Hallifax  and  Pedley :  but  there  is  nothing 
to  show  that  these  two  renegades  acted  under  Lord 
Sandwich's  influence.  It  appears  that  Hallifax  had  been 
persuaded  by  Ridlington,  to  whom  he  believed  himself 
to  be  under  a  debt  of  gratitude,  to  give  a  pledge  that 
he  would  prevent  a  devolution  if  he  possibly  could: 
and  that  'the  sense  of  his  obligations  to  Dr  RidHngton 
was  the  single  principle  upon  which  he  acted  through 
the  whole  contest  at  Trinity  Hall^.'  It  reflects  little 
credit  upon  Dr  Hallifax's  intelligence  that  he  failed  to 
perceive  that  he  could  not  serve  both  Newcastle  and 
Ridlington,  but  there  is  not  the  slightest  reason  to  think 
that  he  was  inspired  by  a  desire  to  serve  Lord  Sandwich. 
After  the  election  he  spared  no  pains  to  assure  Newcastle 
that  he  was,  as  he  had  ever  been,  his  faithful  follower, 
and  ready  to  obey  his  commands. 

'As  a  proof  of  his  sincerity'  wrote  Dr  Caryl  in  October 
1764  'he  assures  me  that  at  this  instant  Dr  Ridlington  is  willing 
to  resign  his  professorship,  and  that  Lord  Hallifax  (sic)"^  has 
signified  to  him  (Dr  Hallifax)  that  he  may  have  it,  but  that  he 
was  absolutely  determined  to  refuse  it,  because  the  consequence 
of  his  acceptance  must  be  an  expectation  from  him  to  joyn  a  set 
of  people  whose  principles  and  measures  he  detests^.' 

Though  Newcastle  had  been  very  angry  with  Hallifax, 
describing  him  in  a  letter  to  the  Bishop  of  Norwich  as 
'this  weak,  ungrateful  man*'  he  was  touched  by  this 
manifestation  of  loyalty  and  penitence,  and  readily 
forgave  him^. 

himself  upon  the  countenance  he  afforded  to  Marriott's  pretensions, 
but  that  he  made  him  one  vote  I  do  not  know.'  Add.  MS.  32959, 
f.465. 

1  Add.  MS.  32962,  f.  249. 

-  Lord  Hahfax  was  one  of  the  Secretaries  of  State,  the  other  being 
Lord  Sandwich. 

2  Add.  MS.  32962,  f.  249.     4  Aj^j_  MS.  32959,  f.  373. 
^  Add.  MS.  32962,  f.  297. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  297 

There  is  nothing  to  show  that  Pedley  either  asked 
for  or  received  forgiveness:  and  perhaps  he  thought 
that  he  had  sinned  too  deeply  to  hope  for  pardon.  Like 
HalHfax  he  had  pledged  himself  to  prevent  a  devolution, 
but,  unlike  Hallifax,  he  had  not  only  concealed  his  in- 
tention but  had  given  lying  assurances  that  he  would 
never  vote  for  Marriott. 

'I  cannot  forgive  Mr  Pedley'  wrote  Francis  Simpson  'who 
at  the  very  time  he  promised  me  that  he  would  not  vote  for  Dr 
Marriott,  even  though  a  devolution  should  ensue,  had  actually 
given  it  under  his  (sic)'^  to  the  other  party  that  he  would  vote  for 
Marriott  to  prevent  a  devolution,  which  explains  his  meaning 
that  of  two  evils  he  would  chuse  the  least,  for  having  verbally 
promised  one  party,  and  under  his  hand  assured  the  other  to 
vote  for  Marriott,  he  chose  to  adhere  to  his  written  promise 
rather  than  his  verbal  one^.' 

Yet  inexcusable  as  was  his  conduct,  it  would  be  absurd 
to  pretend  that  he  had  sinned  against  Newcastle,  for 
he  was  not  a  follower  of  the  Duke,  and  would  have  voted 
for  either  Ridlington  and  Ansell  in  preference  to  Wynne. 
It  was  for  Wynne,  whom  he  had  basely  deceived,  and 
not  for  Newcastle,  to  give  or  refuse  him  pardon,  and 
we  do  not  know  whether  that  pardon  was  ever  given. 
Nor  are  we  any  wiser  as  to  the  motives  leading  Pedley 
to  play  this  double  game.  It  is  possible  that  he  was 
influenced  by  Sandwich:  but  it  is  quite  as  likely  that 
he  was  influenced  by  resentment  against  such  an  obvious 
attempt  to  prevent  an  election  being  held. 

Indeed,  in  dealing  with  the  affairs  of  Trinity  Hall  and 
the  other  colleges,  Newcastle  was  battling  against 
eddies  and  currents  completely  unknown  to  him,  and 
consequently  he  was  often  shipwrecked.  On  the  other 
hand  Marriott  had  not  fostered  the  Duke's  interest  in 
the  society  without  learning  a  great  deal  in  the  process, 

^   'Hand'  is  probably  the  word  omitted. 
2  Add.  MS.  32959,  f.  425. 


298  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

and  throughout  the  contest  he  had  been  fighting  at  an 
advantage.  The  victor  and  the  vanquished  were  never 
reconciled^,  and  it  is  impossible  that  Newcastle  could 
have  ever  thought  of  his  defeat  with  anything  but 
bitterness.  But  his  failure  at  Trinity  Hall  must  have 
rankled  far  less  deeply  than  the  rebuff  he  suffered  at 
his  own  college,  Clare.  For  Clare  and  his  old  school, 
Westminster,  he  cherished  a  very  particular  affection: 
and,  until  he  quarrelled  with  the  college,  it  was  at 
Clare  that  he  always  stayed  when  he  visited  Cambridge. 
Dr  Wilcox,  who  was  Master  when  the  Duke  became 
Chancellor,  was  his  unswerving  friend  and  ally,  and 
it  is  probable  that  Newcastle  was  more  at  home  in  that 
society  than  in  any  other  in  the  university.  It  is  possible 
that  he  thought  he  could  never  be  betrayed  by  a  college 
upon  which  he  had  lavished  so  much  affection:  and, 
if  such  was  his  belief,  he  had  towards  the  end  of  1762 
a  very  rude  awakening. 

'Our  Master's  state  of  health,'  wrote  on  September  nth, 
1 762,  William  Talbot,  who  was  a  Fellow  of  Clare,  'has  suffered 
so  considerable  a  change  within  a  few  days  past  that  it  seems 
probable  he  cannot  continue  long.  In  case  of  a  vacancy  I  know 
how  much  the  society  is  bound  to  consult  your  Grace's  judgment 
and  good-liking  in  the  choice  of  a  new  Master.  Nevertheless  I 
do  not  find  that  the  present  sett  of  Fellows  are  in  general  dis- 
posed to  be  duly  attentive  to  this  obligation,  for  out  of  seventeen 
Fellows,  who  have  a  right  of  voting  on  such  occasions,  I  appre- 
hend ten  have  by  various  arts  been  induced  to  engage  their  votes 
beforehand  to  Dr  Goddard  who  has  of  late  publickly  boasted 
that  he  was  certain  of  success.  This  intelligence,  I  doubt  not, 
was  sometime  since  communicated  to  your  Grace  by  the  Bishop 
of  Norwich,  to  whom  I  opened  the  state  of  things  here.  As  Dr 
Goddard  is  a  man  whom  your  Grace  has  little  reason  to  approve 

1  Writing  in  June  1768,  when  Marriott  was  Vice-Chancellor, 
Newcastle  remarks:  'The  present  Vice-Chancellor  will  endeavour  to 
pass  me  by,  as  far  as  he  can,  and  that  I  shall  neither  have  power  nor 
credit.'  Add.  MS.  32990,  f.  224. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  299 

of,  I  would  be  glad  to  do  everything  in  my  power  in  this  con- 
juncture to  exempt  myself  at  least  from  the  number  of  the 
ungrateful,  and  therefore  beg  leave  to  intreat  the  favour  of  your 
Grace's  directions  how  I  am  to  act^.' 

Dr  Peter  Goddard  was  of  humble  origin,  probably 
being  the  son  of  a  French  barber  settled  in  Cambridge. 
Admitted  to  Clare  as  a  Sizar  in  172 1,  he  was  elected  to 
a  Fellowship  of  the  college  six  years  later,  and  acted 
as  tutor  to  Lord  Lincoln,  Newcastle's  nephew,  during 
his  residence  at  Clare^.  He  was  accordingly  brought  into 
close  contact  with  the  Duke,  and,  if  his  own  account 
can  be  accepted,  it  was  mainly  due  to  his  efforts  that 
the  Grace  appointing  Newcastle  as  High  Steward  was 
safely  steered  through  the  Caput  ^.  He  naturally  put  a 
high  value  upon  the  services  he  had  rendered  upon  this 
occasion:  and  in  1751  reminded  the  Duke  of  his  achieve- 
ment and  asked  for  preferment  in  the  church,  men- 
tioning that  he  only  held  'two  livings,  about  ;/^i8o  per 
annum,  situated  in  a  very  pleasant  but  dear  country, 
and  therefore  any  addition,  especially  of  a  sinecure  kind, 
would  be  extreamly  acceptable*.'  His  petition  was  either 
rejected  or  unanswered,  and  smarting  under  what  he 
deemed  a  particularly  base  display  of  ingratitude,  he 
determined  to  be  the  architect  of  his  own  fortunes  and 
simultaneously  to  satisfy  both  his  ambition  and  his  spite. 
He  made  up  his  mind  to  be  the  next  Master  of  Clare, 
and  for  ten  years  conducted  a  secret  canvass  of  the 
Fellows  of  the  college  with  the  assistance  of  Richard 
Terrick,  Bishop  of  Peterborough,  who,  as  an  ex-Fellow 
and  distinguished  prelate,  was  able  to  exercise  con- 
siderable influence  in  the  society^.  From  Talbot's  letter 

1  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  227. 

^  These  details  were  kindly  given  me  by  Mr  Wardale,  Fellow  of 
Clare. 

^  Add.  MS.  32725,  f.  382;  see  ch.  11.  p.  37. 

4  /^/V.  5  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  269,  f.  279. 


300  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

we  gather  that  by  September  1762  Goddard  had 
secured  a  majority  among  the  electors:  and,  being  of 
an  arrogant  and  overbearing  disposition,  he  began  to 
boast  of  certain  victory  and  to  conduct  himself  as  the 
destined  successor  to  Dr  Wilcox^. 

If  he  fulfilled  his  boast  Newcastle's  influence  and 
prestige  in  his  old  college  would  be  certain  to  decline 
and  might  easily  disappear.  It  would  be  impossible  to 
conceal  the  fact  that  Goddard  had  openly  defied  the 
Duke :  and  it  was  certainly  not  hopeful  for  his  behaviour 
in  the  future  that  his  two  friends  on  the  episcopal  bench 
were  the  Bishop  of  Peterborough,  who  had  thrown  over 
Newcastle  for  Lord  Bute,  and  Thomas  Hayter  who  had 
recently  been  promoted  to  the  see  of  London  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  Duke's  wishes.  A  man  with  such 
associates  might  well,  as  a  Master  of  a  college,  be  a 
particularly  painful  thorn  in  the  Chancellor's  side:  but, 
though  the  outlook  was  black,  Talbot  did  not  give  up 
hope.  It  was  provided  by  the  statutes  of  the  college 
that  a  Master  must  be  elected  on  the  tenth  day  from 
the  declaration  of  a  vacancy,  that  no  election  was  valid 
unless  held  in  the  presence  of  a  majority  of  the  electors, 
and  that,  if  the  tenth  day  passed  without  an  election 
taking  place,  the  right  of  nominating  a  Master  passed 
to  the  visitor  of  the  college  who  was  the  Chancellor^. 
As  the  month  was  September  many  of  the  Fellows 
were  away  from  Cambridge  and  possibly  in  distant 
parts  of  England :  and  Talbot  pointed  out  to  the  Duke 
that 

it  is  not  an  improbable  supposition  that  Goddard  may  not  be 
able  to  collect  together  within  the  limited  time  nine  determined 
men  of  his  party,  which  number  is  requisite  to  constitute  a 
majority  of  the  whole  society.  In  this  case  your  Grace's  friends, 
absenting  themselves  voluntarily  on  the  day  of  the  election, 
(which  is  the  tenth  day  of  the  vacancy)  it  will  be  impossible  for 

^  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  227.  2  ^^j^_  ]yjs.  32942,  f.  227,  f.  269. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  301 

them  without  us  to  proceed  to  an  election.  And  no  election 
being  made  on  that  day,  the  consequence  will  be  a  devolution  to 
your  Grace^. 

Before  he  heard  of  this  proposal  Newcastle  had  been 
carefully  considering  possible  courses  of  action.  As  it 
was  in  the  days  before  the  university  was  rent  in  twain 
by  the  strife  between  him  and  Sandwich,  which,  while 
it  lasted,  coloured  every  academic  controversy  and 
divided  almost  every  college,  he  had  to  beware  of  too 
openly  interfering  in  what  was  a  purely  domestic  affair : 
and  he  inclined  to  the  opinion  that,  if  Goddard  was 
certain  of  a  majority,  it  would  be  best  for  his  sup- 
porters among  the  electors  to  acquiesce  in  the  inevitable 
and  vote  for  the  man  who  had  outwitted  them.  Yet  he 
was  not  blind  to  the  dangerous  consequences  of  such  a 
policy  of  submission,  and  he  was  prepared  to  consider, 
at  least  as  an  abstract  proposition,  the  possibility  of 
arranging  for  a  devolution. 

'I  think  I  have  a  claim  to  some  regard  from  them'  he  re- 
marked with  reference  to  the  Fellows  of  Clare  'but  as  they 
think  otherwise,  or  act  as  if  they  did,  I  think  it  would  be  by  no 
means  proper  to  give  Dr  Goddard  any  unnecessary  disturbance, 
and  therefore  I  wish  that  all  our  friends  would  shew  a  cheerful 
concurrence  in  his  election,  except  any  method  could  be  found 
not  to  proceed  to  the  election  or  make  any  that  day,  and  then 
the  appointment  would  devolve  to  the  Chancellor,  as  it  did  in  the 
case  of  Dr  Grigg  put  in  by  the  Duke  of  Somerset"^.' 

Thus  he  dallied  with  the  thought  of  working  for  a 
devolution,  but  when  Talbot  made  a  practical  proposal 
he  hesitated  to  sanction  it: 

'To  be  sure '  he  wrote  '  I  should  wish  it  upon  many  accounts, 
but  as  I  am  so  much  concerned  in  the  coii^equences  of  it,  I  must 
beg  that  I  may  not  in  the  least  appear  in  it,  and  that  nothing 
may  be  done  that  would  be  liable  to  my  just  censure.  For  that 
reason  I  wish  you  would  consult  some  of  my  friends,  the  Heads, 

1  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  269.  2  Ajj_  M3_  32942,  f.  271. 


302  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

upon  the  subject,  and  any  knowing  men  in  the  university  upon 
whom  you  can  depend  i.' 

While  the  Duke  was  hesitating  Dr  Wilcox  died,  and 
the  question  of  a  policy  at  once  became  urgent.  Talbot 
was  anxious  for  a  devolution  to  be  attempted,  and  the 
Duke,  after  much  hesitation,  was  prepared  to  sanction 
the  scheme  if  the  sole  responsibility  for  it  was  shouldered 
by  Talbot  and  his  friends^.  But  Dr  Goddard  was  not 
the  man  to  throw  away  the  labours  of  ten  years  by 
leaving  anything  to  chance:  and  no  sooner  was  the 
breath  out  of  Dr  Wilcox's  body  than  he  was  sending 
for  his  friends  among  the  electors  to  return  to  Cam- 
bridge post  haste ^.  On  September  23rd  he  was  reported 
to  have  *  got  such  a  number  of  his  friends  together  that 
he  is  secure  of  his  election*,'  and  two  days  later  he 
was  elected  into  the  mastership. 

'As  he  had  got  together'  wrote  Talbot  'a  clear  majority,  it 
was  thought  prudent  that  your  Grace's  friends  should  come  into 
his  election  without  any  seeming  reluctance.  And  I  was  the 
more  attentive  to  this  particularly  for  the  sake  of  Mr  Gould,  a 
very  ingenious  and  deserving  young  man  who  assists  me  in  the 
care  and  instruction  of  my  pupils,  who,  being  in  the  junior  part 
of  the  society,  might  have  been  exposed  to  some  inconveniences 
from  the  resentments  of  a  provoked  Master.  For  my  own  part, 
though  the  signal  discourtesies,  that  I  have  received  from  Dr 
Goddard  and  his  abettors,  would  have  justified  my  refusing  to 
the  last  to  concur  in  electing  him,  yet  as  the  known  relation  I 
have  the  honour  to  bear  unto  your  Grace  as  Chancellor  of  the 
university^  might  have  induced  a  suspicion  in  some  people  that 
my  conduct  was  framed  according  to  your  Grace's  instructions, 
upon  mature  deliberation  I  resolved  to  come  in  with  the  rest, 
that  no  handle  might  be  given  for  reflections  of  that  sort.  I 
cannot  forbear  mentioning  to  your  Grace  the  names  of  Mr 

1  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  285. 

2  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  279,  f.  296,  f.  305. 

3  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  287.  4  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  330. 

^  Talbot  succeeded  Dr  Squire  as  the  Chancellor's  university 
secretary. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES     303 

Hagar,  Mr  Cay  (who  practises  at  the  Bar)  and  Mr  Gould  as 
persons  who  are  the  ornaments  of  this  society  as  well  as  of 
distinguished  attachment  to  your  Grace,  and  who  are  filled  with 
the  utmost  indignation  at  the  ungrateful  treatment  which  your 
Grace  have  received  from  a  sett  of  men  here^' 

Newcastle  was  quite  as  indignant  as  the  gentlemen 
who  were  the  ornaments  of  Clare,  and  he  had  good 
cause  to  be.  He  had  identified  himself  more  closely  with 
Clare  than  with  any  other  college  in  the  university, 
and  had  taken  particular  pleasure  in  talking  of  himself 
as  a  Clare  man:  and  he  therefore  the  more  bitterly 
resented  the  treatment  he  had  received.  A  lengthy 
political  experience  however  had  taught  him  that  few 
disasters  are  irretrievable:  and,  instead  of  brooding 
upon  the  wrong  he  had  suffered,  he  was  prepared  to 
forgive  his  enemy  who,  after  having  achieved  so  notable 
a  victory,  might  conceivably  be  ready  to  come  to  terms. 
He  told  Lord  Hardwicke  that  he  believed  'Goddard 
will  act  well  enough^' :  and  in  his  reply  to  the  new 
Master's  notification  of  his  election,  he  tempered  rebuke 
with  forgiveness. 

'You  say  very  truly'  he  wrote  'that  I  have  often  expressed 
a  very  good  opinion  of  you:  I  sincerely  had  it,  and  hope  and 
believe  that  I  shall  never  have  any  occasion  to  alter  it.  I  own 
freely  (for  I  will  never  disguise  the  truth)  that  some  late  con- 
nections which  you  had  with  one^,  who  had  acted  a  very  un- 
grateful part  to  me  who  had  been  his  chief  if  not  only  benefactor 
as  to  his  publick  preferments  until  just  at  last,  could  not  be 
agreeable  to  me.  And  the  manner  in  which  the  college  has 
thought  proper  to  proceed  without  taking  the  least  notice  of  me, 
their  Chancellor,  their  visitor,  their  friend,  and,  I  may  say,  their 
benefactor,  is  so  unusual  in  cases  of  the  like  nature  that  it  did 

make  a  very  strong  impression  upon  me However  I  rejoice 

to  hear  from  yourself  and  Mr  Talbot  that  your  election  was 
unanimous.   I  have  had  very  strong  assurances  from  my  good 

1  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  358.  2  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  347. 

"^  Thomas  Hayter,  Bishop  of  London. 


304  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

friend,  the  Bishop  of  Oxford,  that  your  conduct  will  be  agreeable 
to  your  old  friends.  I  desire  no  more,  and  hope  and  don't  doubt 
but  you  will  endeavour  to  promote  or  to  re-establish  that  union, 
friendship,  and  harmony  in  our  college  which  has  now  subsisted 
for  so  many  years,  and  that  you  will  act  in  concert  with  those 
friends  of  the  government  in  the  university,  with  whom  you 
were  bred  up,  and  upon  those  principles  which  I  know  are  your 
own^.' 

Thus  Newcastle  made  a  magnanimous  gesture,  but 
Dr  Goddard  in  his  hour  of  triumph  was  not  disposed 
to  sue  for  forgiveness  and  replied  to  the  Duke  rather 
saucily.  He  pointed  out  that  it  was  to  Newcastle's 
nephew.  Lord  Lincoln,  that  he  owed  that  connection 
with  the  Bishop  of  London  for  which  he  was  blamed, 
and  slyly  contended  that  such  a  staunch  friend  of  liberty 
as  the  Duke  could  not  possibly  condemn  the  Fellows 
of  Clare  for  choosing  'without  favour  or  affection  that 
man  for  their  Master  whom  they  do  in  their  consciences 
believe  to  be  the  fittest  for  that  office^.'  Goddard 
indeed  had  not  forgiven  Newcastle  for  the  neglect  of 
former  years,  and  though  Talbot  expressed  a  belief  that 
he  was  anxious  for  a  reconciliation^,  there  was  small 
foundation  for  optimism.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that 
the  new  Master  was  determined  to  free  Clare  from  the 
Duke's  influence,  and  his  power  for  mischief  would  not 
be  confined  to  the  college  as  he  became  Vice-Chancellor 
within  two  months  of  his  election  as  Master. 

Formal  hostilities  between  the  Master  and  the  Duke 
may  be  said  to  have  begun  on  February  7th,  1 763,  when 
Dr  Goddard  deprived  the  Rev.  Robert  Hagar  of  his 
Fellowship  on  the  ground  that  as  Vicar  of  Hawnes  he 
possessed  an  income  exceeding  that  with  which  a 
Fellowship  of  Clare  was  tenable.  Even  if  the  action  of 
the  Master  had  been  strictly  in  accordance  with  the 

1  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  392.  2  Ad(j_  MS.  32942,  f.  440. 

3  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  442. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES     305 

college  statutes,  it  would  have  been  unfortunate  that 
the  victim  should  be  one  who  was  distinguished  by 
his  loyalty  to  Newcastle;  but  the  incident  took  on  a 
much  worse  complexion  when  it  became  clear  that  the 
Master  had  acted  illegally.  Supported  by  public  opinion 
in  the  university,  which  was  almost  unanimously  on 
his  side^,  Hagar  lost  no  time  in  appealing  for  redress 
to  the  Chancellor  as  visitor  of  the  college^:  and  the 
Duke  would  have  been  more  than  human  if  he  had  not 
relished  the  prospect  of  humiliating  the  adversary  who 
had  rejected  his  forgiveness.  Dr  Goddard  had  indeed 
made  a  very  bad  blunder,  and,  realising  his  error,  sought 
too  late  to  extricate  himself  from  a  most  unfortunate 
situation. 

'Yesterday'  wrote  Talbot  on  March  6th,  1763,  'our  Master 
began  to  think  himself  so  much  in  the  wrong  that  he  sent  for 
Mr  Hagar  and  told  him... he  was  now  willing  to  give  up  that 
point,  and,  dropping  the  whole  dispute,  to  permit  Mr  Hagar  to 
enjoy  his  Fellowship  as  if  nothing  had  passed.  Mr  Hagar's 
answer  was  to  this  effect,  that  your  Grace  as  visitor  of  the 
college,  having  accepted  the  appeal  and  undertaken  to  hear  and 
determine  the  cause,  it  seemed  to  be  no  longer  in  his  (A4r 
Hagar's)  power  to  let  it  drop.  That  he,  (the  Master)  had  thought 
good  indeed  to  declare  his  Fellowship  vacant:  but  to  restore  him, 
he  apprehended,  was  beyond  the  limits  of  his  authority.  This,  he 
believed,  could  only  be  done  by  the  visitor^.' 

The  Master  was  indeed  trapped:  and  although  in  the 
presence  of  his  Fellows  he  revoked  his  declaration  of 
February  7th,  and  acknowledged  that  he  had  wrong- 
fully dispossessed  Hagar  of  his  Fellowship*,  he  failed 
to  stop  the  proceedings  which  had  been  begun  against 
him. 

The  case  was  heard  on  March  29th  at  Newcastle's 
town  house  in  Lincoln's  Inn  Fields,  the  Duke  having 

1  Add.  MS.  32947,  f.  188. 

2  Add.  MS.  33061,  f.  257;  Add.  MS.  32947,  f.  39. 

3  Add.  MS.  32947,  f.  188.       4  Add.  MS.  33061,  f.  257. 


3o6  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

as  assessors  the  Masters  of  Corpus  and  Trinity  Hall, 
who  had  been  appointed  by  the  university  in  accordance 
with  the  college  statutes.  The  proceedings  were  purely 
formal  and  the  result  a  foregone  conclusion.  After 
various  documents  had  been  read,  and  Goddard  and 
Hagar  had  spoken, 

His  Grace,  the  said  visitor,  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  his 
assessors,  did  pronounce  for  the  appeal  interposed  in  this  behalf, 
and  did  pronounce,  decree,  and  declare  that  the  said  Dr  Peter 
Stephen  Goddard,  the  Master  of  Clare  Hall  aforesaid,  had  pro- 
ceeded wrongfully  on  the  seventh  day  of  February  last  in 
declaring  the  Fellowship  of  the  said  Robert  Hagar  void,  and  did 
therefore  pronounce  and  decree  the  said  declaration  of  the  said 
Master  null  and  invalid  to  all  intents  and  purposes  whatsoever, 
and  did  continue  and  confirm  the  said  Robert  Hagar  in  the  quiet 
and  full  enjoyment  of  his  said  Fellowship  with  all  the  profits, 
benefits,  emoluments,  and  advantages  to  the  same  belonging,  in 
as  full  and  ample  manner  as  if  the  said  declaration  of  the  said 
Dr  Peter  Stephen  Goddard,  the  Master,  of  the  seventh  day  of 
February  last  had  never  been  made,  and  did  order  and  direct 
that  this  decree  and  the  said  declaration  of  the  said  Master, 
deHvered  this  day  and  hereto  annexed^,  be  intimated  to  the  said 
Master  and  Fellows,  and  that  they  be  enjoined  to  register  the 
same  in  the  publick  register  of  the  said  college,  and  that  they 
do  certify  him,  the  said  visitor,  thereof  under  the  seal  of  the  said 
college,  or  under  the  hands  of  the  Master  and  Fellows  present 
in  college,  on  or  before  the  first  day  of  May  next  ensuing.  And 
the  said  visitor  did  further,  by  the  advice  and  consent  of  his  said 
assessors,  at  the  petition  of  the  said  Robert  Hagar,  condemn  the 

^  'I,  Peter  Stephen  Goddard,  Doctor  in  Divinity  and  Master  of 
Clare  Hall  in  the  university  of  Cambridge,  do  hereby  declare  that  for 
want  of  proper  information  I  did  declare  Mr  Hagar's  Fellowship  void, 
contrary  to  the  statutes,  but  that  upon  receiving  further  information 
I  did  publickly,  in  the  presence  of  all  the  Fellows  then  in  college, 
revoke  the  said  declaration  and  acknowledge  that  he  had  by  statute  a 
right  to  hold  his  Fellowship  with  the  Vicarage  of  Hawnes  in  the  county 
of  Bedford  and  diocese  of  Lincoln.  And  I  do  desire  to  have  my  said 
declaration  of  February  yth  1763  adjudged  null  and  void  by  the  visitor 
and  his  assessors.'  Add.  MS.  33061,  f.  257. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES     307 

said  Dr  Peter  Stephen  Goddard  in  the  sum  of  twenty  pounds,  in 
the  name  of  costs,  to  be  paid  to  the  said  Robert  Hagar  for  and 
towards  his  charges  and  expenses  in  presenting  this  appeal^. 

Thus  Goddard's  attempt  to  assert  his  power  as  Master 
had  woefully  miscarried  and  only  brought  him  humilia- 
tion ;  but  even  as  he  delivered  his  judgment  the  Duke 
knew  perfectly  well  that,  instead  of  crushing  his  enemy, 
he  had  only  infuriated  him.  On  the  day  before  the  appeal 
was  heard,  the  Master  of  Corpus  informed  Newcastle 
that  Goddard  had  'expressed  his  desire  to  have  some 
communication  with  your  Grace  to-morrow,  if  it  might 
conveniently  be,  on  the  subject  of  an  address  from  the 
university^';  and  beneath  the  innocent  appearance  of 
this  message  was  concealed  an  ugly  menace.  The  Peace 
of  Paris,  which  concluded  the  Seven  Years'  War,  had 
recently  been  signed,  and  the  occasion  certainly  de- 
manded that  the  university  should  present  a  con- 
gratulatory address  to  the  crown.  It  would  fall  to 
Goddard  as  Vice-Chancellor  to  draft  the  address,  and 
he  was  acting  perfectly  correctly,  and  in  accordance 
with  a  practice  insisted  upon  by  Newcastle,  in  wishing 
to  consult  the  Chancellor  before  taking  any  steps  in  the 
matter.  Yet  the  Duke  was  aware  that  the  Master  of 
Clare's  civility  was  a  sham.  Driven  from  the  ministry 
in  1762,  Newcastle  was  now  at  the  head  of  a  small 
opposition  party  which  had  opened  its  attack  upon  the 
government  of  the  day  by  an  onslaught  upon  the 
Preliminaries  of  Peace.  It  was  not  therefore  easy  for 
him  as  Chancellor  of  the  university  to  congratulate 
the  crown  upon  what  as  a  politician  he  had  un- 
sparingly condemned ;  but  more  than  his  reputation  for 
consistency  was  at  stake.  He  had  been  quick  to  see 
that  his  party  could  never  prevail  in  a  bribed  and 
corrupted  house  of  commons  unless  it  possessed  the 
confidence  of  the  country,  and  that,  tainted  as  it  was 
i  Add.  MS.  33061,  f.  257.  2  /s^jj_  ]vjg_  32947,  f.  341. 


3o8    THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

with  that  aristocratic  exclusiveness  which  was  the  bane 
of  whiggism,  it  was  hopeless  to  expect  the  support  of 
the  nation  unless  it  included  the  only  really  popular 
statesman  of  the  day,  William  Pitt.  To  win  Pitt  had 
therefore  been  Newcastle's  aim  from  the  first.  He  had 
persuaded  his  friends  to  attack  the  Peace  Preliminaries 
because  he  knew  that  Pitt  disapproved  of  them;  and 
there  was  no  sacrifice  he  was  not  prepared  to  make  to 
win  the  support  of  the  man  he  deemed  indispensable. 
But  Pitt  was  not  to  be  easily  won.  Though  he  un- 
sparingly denounced  the  terms  of  peace  when  they 
came  under  discussion  in  the  house  of  commons,  he 
went  out  of  his  way  to  repudiate  any  connection  with 
Newcastle  and  his  friends,  taking  his  stand  as  a  man 
single  and  alone,  contending  for  the  right  but  un- 
connected with  any  party.  Yet  early  in  March  1763  it 
seemed  that  the  union,  so  eagerly  desired  by  Newcastle, 
was  on  the  point  of  being  achieved.  Apparently  dis- 
carding all  his  prejudices,  Pitt  closely  associated  him- 
self with  the  opposition  in  an  attack  upon  a  cyder  tax 
introduced  by  the  ministry,  professed  to  be  firmly 
united  with  the  men  whose  overtures  he  had  recently 
scorned,  and  frequently  conferred  with  them  about  the 
conduct  of  the  parliamentary  campaign.  When  on 
March  9th,  1763,  he  dined  at  Devonshire  house  in 
the  company  of  the  opposition  leaders,  the  event  was 
greeted  as  marking  the  beginning  of  a  new  political 
era;  and  his  brother-in-law.  Lord  Temple,  remarked  to 
Newcastle  that  'what  he  had  been  about  unsuccessfully 
for  six  months,  viz.  the  bringing  Mr  Pitt  and  us 
together,  is  now  come  about,  as  it  were,  of  itself^.' 

Such  was  the  political  situation  when  the  Master  of 
Clare  expressed  a  wish  to  consult  Newcastle  about  an 
university  address  upon  the  Peace  of  Paris:  and  it  is 
easy  to  appreciate  the  extremely  difficult  position  of  the 

^  Yorke's  Life  of  Lord  Hardwicke,  iii,  456. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES     309 

Duke.  The  university  addresses  the  crown  in  the 
name  of  the  Chancellor,  Masters,  and  Scholars,  and  it 
was  only  too  likely  that  Pitt,  who  was  quick  to  take 
offence  and  regarded  the  Peace  as  a  crime  against  the 
country,  would  be  excessively  angry  if  Newcastle  asso- 
ciated himself  with  a  public  acknowledgment  of  the 
beneficial  character  of  the  treaty.  It  was  by  no  means 
unlikely  that  he  would  vent  his  anger  by  severing  his 
connection  with  the  opposition,  which  would  thus  be 
deprived  of  the  ally  whom  they  had  so  laboriously  won, 
and  whom  they  were  so  anxious  to  keep.  It  was  still 
more  likely  that  Dr  Goddard,  who  could  not  have  been 
unacquainted  with  the  political  situation,  would  wreak 
his  revenge  by  drafting  an  address  extravagant  in  its 
praise  of  the  Peace;  and  indeed  so  many  were  the 
difficulties  that  Newcastle  would  gladly  have  dispensed 
with  an  address  altogether.  This  however  was  out  of 
the  question,  for  even  his  most  loyal  adherents  at  Cam- 
bridge would  never  have  consented  to  exclude  them- 
selves from  the  royal  bounty  by  so  affronting  the 
crown;  and  he  consequently  had  to  solve  the  problem 
of  satisfying  the  needs  of  the  university  without  giving 
offence  to  Pitt. 

Before  Goddard  raised  the  question,  Newcastle  had 
sought  advice  from  Lord  Hardwicke  and  the  Duke  of 
Devonshire^.  Apparently  both  these  noblemen  sug- 
gested that  the  language  of  the  address  should  be 
moderate  so  as  not  to  give  offence  to  Pitt,  which  was 
doubtless  most  excellent  counsel  but  not  easy  to  put 
into  practice.  In  view  of  their  strained  relations  it  is 
improbable  that  either  Goddard  or  Newcastle  showed 
his  hand  at  their  interview  on  March  29th  when  the 
former  formally  asked  the  Chancellor's  permission  to 

1  In  a  letter  to  the  Master  of  Corpus,  dated  March  29th,  1763, 
(of  which  there  is  a  copy  in  the  Cambridge  University  Library) 
Newcastle  mentions  having  consulted  Hardwicke  and  Devonshire. 


310  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

draft  an  address.  But  on  the  same  day  Newcastle  had 
an  interview  with  Pitt  who  expressed  the  opinion  that 
if  the  Duke  was  in 

any  way  named  or  comprehended  as  Chancellor  in  an  address 
upon  the  Peace,  which  must  in  any  shape  be  some  approbation 
of  it,  it  will  be  laid  hold  of  by  the  court  and  turned  to  my  dis- 
advantage all  over  the  kingdom^. 

Sorely  perplexed,  the  Duke,  like  many  another  com- 
mander in  a  difficulty,  assembled  a  council  of  war.  On 
March  30th  the  Bishop  of  Norwich,  the  Master  of 
Corpus,  and  Thomas  Townshend,  who  represented  the 
university  in  parliament,  conferred  with  him^;  and  the 
decision  they  reached  was  embodied  in  the  following 
minute : 

It  is  apprehended  that  the  form  and  style  of  the  university, 
inserting  the  name  of  the  Chancellor  in  all  addresses  and  acts 
of  this  kind,  will  not  admit  of  any  alteration  in  that  respect.  It 
is  proposed  that  the  measure  should  be  that  our  friends  should 
endeavour,  as  from  themselves,  to  make  the  address  as  Httle 
liable  to  objection  as  possible;  that  the  Chancellor  should  have 
no  hand  or  concern  in  it;  that  the  Vice-Chancellor  should  be  the 
person  to  apply  to  the  Secretary  of  State;  that  he  (the  Vice- 
Chancellor)  should  attend  His  Majesty  with  the  address;  and 
that  the  Chancellor  should  be  then  in  town  and  by  his  non- 
attendance  manifest  his  disapprobation  of  the  measure  and  shew 
that  he  had  no  concern  in  it.  It  is  also  thought  proper  that  the 
Chancellor  should  write  a  letter  to  the  Vice-Chancellor  when 
he  comes  to  town,  that  he  had  heard  the  university  had  thought 
proper  to  address  His  Majesty  upon  the  Peace;  that  he  was 
sorry  not  to  be  able  to  attend  the  university  in  any  mark  which 
they  may  think  proper  to  give  of  their  respect  and  duty  to  the 
King,  in  which  nobody  would  more  readily  concur  than  himself 
if  his  attendance  upon  that  occasion  did  not  appear  to  him  incon- 
sistent with  the  part  he  had  already  taken  when  that  affair  was 
under  the  consideration  of  parliament^. 

'    In  a  letter  to  the  Master  of  Corpus,  dated  March  29th,  1763. 
-  //^/V.;  see  also  Add.  MS.  32947,  f.  347.     ^  Add.  MS.  32947,  f.  357 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  311 

It  will  be  noticed  that,  though  the  address  was  to  be 
in  the  name  of  the  Chancellor,  Masters  and  Scholars 
of  the  university,  Newcastle  entirely  dissociated  him- 
self from  all  the  proceedings;  and  there  is  little  doubt 
that  he  adopted  this  attitude  of  repudiation  in  order  to 
placate  Pitt.  Lord  Hardwicke  indeed  expressed  the 
opinion  that  the  Duke  had  protested  over  much,  and 
pointed  out  that  there  was  a  great  difference  between 
'what  a  man  does  in  his  private  personal  capacity  and 
what  he  does  as  the  head  of  a  great  body  of  men  who 
are  masters  of  their  own  actions^';  but  Newcastle  pre- 
ferred to  incur  the  charge  of  over -acting  rather  than 
run  any  risk  of  offending  Pitt.  But  if  he  believed  that 
he  had  surmounted  his  troubles,  he  had  reckoned  with- 
out Goddard  who  was  not  disposed  to  throw  away  such 
a  golden  opportunity  for  retaliation.  He  composed  an 
address  which  opened  with  the  declaration  that 

His  Majesty,  out  of  tender  regard  to  his  people,  had  concluded 
a  destructive  though  successful  war  by  a  safe,  honourable  and 
most  advantageous  Peace  that  would  for  ever  stand  recorded  and 
celebrated  in  our  annals  as  an  event  the  most  glorious  to  our 
country; 

and  it  is  hardly  uncharitable  to  assume  that  this  flam- 
boyant sentence  was  intended  to  pain  and  annoy.  Pitt 
would  certainly  be  chagrined  at  the  war,  which  he  had 
conducted,  being  described  as  destructive,  and  it  would 
be  intolerable  for  Newcastle  if  the  university,  over  which 
he  presided,  described  the  Peace  as  the  most  glorious 
event  in  the  annals  of  England. 

An  university  address  however  had  to  be  approved 
by  the  Heads  and  sanctioned  by  the  Senate  before  it 
could  be  presented;  and,  anticipating  the  consequences 
of  Dr  Goddard's  malice,  Newcastle  had  arranged  for 
his  friends  among  the  Heads  of  Houses  to  attempt  to 
tone  down  the  exuberance  of  the  address.  Consequently, 
1  Add.  MS.  32948,  f.  I. 


312  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

when  on  April  2nd  the  Vice-Chancellor  submitted  his 
draft  to  a  meeting  of  the  Heads,  the  Master  of  Corpus 
took  strong  objection  to  the  extravagant  language  about 
the  Peace  and  the  contemptuous  reference  to  an  over- 
whelmingly successful  war. 

'I  was  seconded'  he  reported  'by  the  Master  of  Pembroke, 
and  my  exceptions  supported  by  several  others,  so  that  after  a 
long  debate  and  altercation  it  was  carried  by  six  to  five  to  change 
the  word  "destructive"  into  "expensive,"  to  leave  out  "most 
advantageous,"  and  to  alter  the  last  flaming  paragraph,  "that 
would  for  ever  stand  recorded  and  celebrated"  into  "we  trust 
would  be  attended  with  the  greatest  blessings,  etc."  The  Vice- 
Chancellor  was  not  very  willing  to  submit  to  the  alterations,  but 
we  insisted  upon  them  and  upon  our  right  to  make  them  as  a 
majority.  He  threatened  that  he  would  not  go  up  with  an 
address  that  said  so  little  in  favour  of  the  Peace;  but  it  certainly 
says  full  enough,  and  I  am  apprehensive  that  your  Grace  will 
think  it  says  too  much.  The  Masters  of  Christ's,  King's,  Peter- 
house,  Jesus,  Pembroke,  and  myself  were  for  making  these 
alterations;  the  Vice-Chancellor,  Masters  of  Caius,  Emmanuel, 
St  John's,  and  Sydney  were  rather  wishing  it  should  pass  as  it 
first  stood  1.' 

The  lesson  was  not  thrown  away  upon  Goddard.  The 
customary  procedure  was  for  the  Vice-Chancellor  to 
submit  the  address  to  the  Chancellor  before  bringing 
it  before  the  Senate;  but,  aware  that  Newcastle  would 
attempt  still  further  to  modify  the  fulsome  language, 
the  Master  of  Clare,  wisely  from  his  point  of  view,  did 
not  allow  the  Chancellor  to  see  the  address  until  it  had 
been  passed  by  the  Senate^.  Thus  Newcastle  was  con- 
fronted with  a  document  which  he  heartily  disliked  but 
which  he  could  not  alter;  and  his  anger  knew  no  bounds. 

'I  am  amazed'  he  told  Thomas  Townshend  'that  when  we 
had  a  majority  of  the  Heads  who  over-ruled  the  Vice-Chancellor 

1  Add.  MS.  32948,  f.  13.  It  is  curious  to  find  the  Master  of  Pembroke, 
Dr  Long,  supporting,  and  the  Master  of  St  John's,  Dr  Newcome, 
opposing  Newcastle.  2  ^j^j^  ]y[S.  32948,  f.  15. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  313 

in  some  things,  that  they  could  afterwards  let  such  an  address 
pass^';  and  he  told  Lord  Hardwicke  that  he  was  'amazed  that 
a  serious  religious  body,  as  the  university  is  or  ought  to  be, 
and  where  there  are  so  many  worthy  reputable  men  as  there  are 
there,  should  suffer... fulsome  flattery,  upon  certain  points  to  be 
made  in  their  name 2.' 

It  was  not  enough  for  him  to  complain  to  his  friends, 
and  the  letter,  which  he  had  originally  intended  to  write 
when  the  Vice-Chancellor  came  to  town,  was  dispatched 
at  once. 

'Reverend  Sir'  he  wrote  to  Goddard  on  April  6th  'I  re- 
ceived here  yesterday  the  favour  of  your  letter  of  the  4th,  trans- 
mitting to  me  a  copy  of  the  address  which  the  university  have 
thought  proper  to  make  to  His  Majesty  on  occasion  of  the 
Peace.  I  am  extremely  sorry  that  anything  should  prevent  my 
attending  the  university  with  their  address  to  the  King.  Nobody 
can  be  more  ready  and  desirous  to  show  his  duty  and  loyalty  to 
His  Majesty  upon  all  occasions  than  myself;  or,  as  far  as  in  me 
lies,  to  promote  and  encourage  those  principles  of  steddiness  and 
affection  to  the  Protestant  succession,  happily  established  in  His 
Majesty  and  His  Royal  Family,  which  now  for  many  years  I 
have  had  the  pleasure  to  see  so  uniformly  pursued  and  so  warmly 
exerted  there.  I  apprehend  from  several  expressions  in  the  address, 
which  I  own  I  cannot  approve,  and  which  I  should  have  ob- 
jected to  if  I  had  been  previously  consulted,  that  my  attendance 
upon  this  occasion  will  not  be  consistent  with  the  part  which  I 
and  other  Lords  thought  ourselves  obliged  to  take  when  the 
consideration  of  the  Preliminaries  was  before  the  parliament. 
I  therefore  hope  that  it  will  not  be  thought  want  of  duty  to 
the  King  or  of  respect  to  the  university  (in  neither  of  which 
will  I  ever  be  guilty  of  the  least  failure)  if  I  desire  you,  Sir, 
(as  has  been  very  frequently  done  in  our  late  Chancellor's  time) 
to  acquaint  the  Secretary  of  State  that  the  university  has  agreed 
upon  an  address  to  His  Majesty,  and  that  you  desire  to  know 

^  A  copy  of  the  Duke's  letter  to  Townshend,  dated  April  7th,  is  in 
the  Cambridge  University  Library. 

2  Add.  MS.  32948,  f.  21.  When  the  Duke  wrote  this  letter  to  Hard- 
wicke he  had  not  seen  the  address,  but  he  was  aware  from  the  Master 
of  Corpus  of  its  general  tenor. 


314  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

from  his  Lordship  when  you  and   the  university  may  attend 
His  Majesty  with  it^.' 

Though  this  letter  was  addressed  to  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  and  circulated  among  the  Heads  of  Houses, 
it  was  intended  quite  as  much  for  Pitt  as  for  the  uni- 
versity. From  the  very  outset  Newcastle  had  been 
obsessed  with  fear  of  what  Pitt  would  think;  and, 
acting  on  a  suggestion  of  the  Bishop  of  Norwich^,  he 
lost  no  time  in  communicating  his  letter  to  his  exacting 
ally.  He  must  have  been  greatly  relieved  to  find  that 
it  gave  entire  satisfaction:  'nothing'  wrote  Pitt  'can  be 
more  becoming  or  carry  more  propriety  and  dignity^.* 
Thus  if  Goddard  had  hoped  to  rend  in  twain  a  political 
alliance  recently  concluded,  he  was  disappointed,  but 
he  was  probably  well  enough  pleased  by  what  he  had 
actually  achieved:  it  was  enough  for  him  that  he  had 
humiliated  the  Chancellor  and  demonstrated  his  loyalty 
to  the  crown.  On  April  14th  he  presented  the  address 
to  the  King,  and,  though  unattended  by  the  Chancellor, 
he  was  accompanied  by  a  distinguished  gathering  which 
included  several  bishops,  a  sprinkling  of  peers  and 
members  of  parliament,  and  about  two  hundred  doctors 
and  masters  of  arts*.  As  he  surveyed  the  scene  Goddard 
may  have  reflected  that  the  last  laugh  is  the  best. 

But  though  he  had  avenged  himself,  he  did  not  wish 
for  peace  and  harmony;  and,  as  long  as  Newcastle  lived, 
Goddard  continued  to  wage  war  against  him.  His  con- 
duct with  regard  to  Ragdale's  application  for  a  mandate 
degree  was  probably  inspired  by  malice^;  and  into  his 
farewell  speech  on  resigning  the  office  of  Vice-Chancellor 
he  introduced  'some  strong  expressions  in  favour  of 
the  Peace*^.'  It  was  therefore  quite  natural  that  he  should 

1  Add.  MS.  32948,  f.  13.  2  Add.  MS.  32948,  f.  46. 

3  Add.  MS.  32948,  f.  84;  see  also  f.  81. 

^   Cooper's  Annals  of  Cambridge,  iv,  326. 

^  See  ch.  in,  pp.  166-171.  6  ;^jj_  ]VJS.  32952,  f.  223. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  315 

eagerly  support  Lord  Sandwich's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship;  and,  even  when  Newcastle  had  been 
many  years  in  the  grave,  Goddard  had  not  forgiven  him 
for  omitting  to  prefer  him  in  the  church.  In  1781, 
shortly  before  his  death,  the  Master  of  Clare  published 
a  volume  of  sermons  which  he  dedicated  to  the  then 
Duke  of  Newcastle,  who  as  Earl  of  Lincoln  had  been 
his  pupil;  and  he  took  the  opportunity  to  recall  his 
ancient  grievance. 

'You  being  one  of  my  oldest  pupils  now  living'  he  wrote  'as 
well  as  of  the  greatest  dignity  and  consequence  I  ever  had  the 
care  of,  having  been  placed  under  my  tuition  at  Clare  Hall  in 
the  year  1737  by  the  late  Duke  of  Newcastle,  and  not  having 
received  the  least  mark  of  favour  either  from  him  or  yourself, 
(except  that  you  have  frequently  acknowledged  to  my  friends 
and  others  that  I  faithfully  and  conscientiously  discharged  my 
duty)  though  I  am  not  conscious  of  any  failure  of  a  proper 
regard  for  you  both  on  my  part,  I  presume  to  present  these 
sermons  to  you-*^.' 

Thus  Goddard  carried  his  grievance  with  him  to  the 
grave. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  Newcastle  was  equally  un- 
forgiving. 'It  is  indifferent  to  me'  he  wrote  to  Lord 
Hardwicke  in  August  1763  'what  day  the  Vice- 
Chancellor  comes,  provided  I  know  it  time  enough  to 
avoid  meeting  him,  for  I  am  determined  never  to  be 
in  a  room  with  him  if  I  can  avoid  it^';  and  his  anger 
never  lost  its  edge.  Never  again  did  he  make  Clare  his 
headquarters;  and  when  he  visited  Cambridge  in  the 
summer  of  1766  he  stayed  at  St  John's^.  Probably  of 
the  many  disappointments  he  experienced  in  the  course 
of  a  long  life,  he  felt  none  more  keenly  than  his  treatment 
by  Goddard.  It  was  not  so  much  vexation  at  the  loss 

^  Wardale's  History  of  Clare  College,  p.  163. 

2  Add.  MS.  32950,  f.  142. 

^  Cambridge  Chronicle,  July  5th,  1766. 


3i6  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

of  what  had  once  been  a  stronghold  of  his  influence 
at  Cambridge,  but  sorrow  and  grief  that  he  should  have 
been  repudiated  by  his  own  college,  of  which  he  had 
been  so  proud,  and  whose  fidelity  he  had  never  doubted. 
Goddard  indeed  had  been  far  more  successful  than  he 
possibly  realised:  he  had  not  only,  like  Marriott  after 
him,  outwitted  the  politician;  he  had  wounded  the  man. 
It  must  not  be  assumed  however  that,  whenever 
Newcastle  was  unsuccessful  in  an  election  to  a  master- 
ship, he  made  an  enemy  for  life,  for  he  was  generally 
prepared  to  forgive  and,  if  possible,  to  make  a  friend  of 
a  victorious  adversary.  It  was  clearly  not  to  his  interest 
to  sow  a  crop  of  vendettas  in  the  university,  and  though, 
when  engaged  in  the  contest,  he  was  anxious  to  achieve 
success  and  not  over-scrupulous  of  the  means  he  used, 
he  was  generally  ready  to  resume  amicable  relations 
when  the  battle  was  over  and  the  issue  determined.  The 
history  of  his  relations  with  Dr  Sumner,  Provost  of 
King's,  certainly  supports  the  theory  that,  though  an 
interfering,  he  was  not  an  unforgiving  Chancellor. 
When  in  1756  the  Provostship  fell  vacant  through  the 
death  of  Dr  George,  Dr  John  Sumner,  who  had  been 
Headmaster  of  Eton  from  1745  to  1754,  and  Dr  John 
Ewer,  who  had  been  Lord  Granby's  private  tutor,  were 
the  two  candidates.  As  Dr  Sumner  was  suspected  of 
having  the  support  of  Lord  Sandwich,  Newcastle,  ever 
jealous  of  a  rival  influence  in  the  university,  very  readily 
agreed  at  Granby's  request  to  support  Dr  Ewer^;  and, 
even  before  Dr  George  was  dead,  Dr  Yonge,  the  Duke's 
indefatigable  agent,  was  busy  in  preparing  for  a  canvass 
of  the  Fellows  of  King's^.  Unfortunately  we  do  not 
know  the  details  of  the  contest;  but  there  can  be  little 
doubt  that  it  was  vigorously  waged  on  both  sides,  New- 
castle admitting  in  after  years  that  he  had  fought  hard 

»  Add.  MS.  32866,  f.  109. 

-  Add.  MS.  32866,  f.  163,  f.  165. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES     317 

for  Dr  Ewer^;  and,  as  was  perhaps  inevitable,  the  vigour, 
with  which  the  struggle  was  carried  on,  was  productive 
of  bitterness  which  was  reflected  in  the  strange  recep- 
tion accorded  to  the  victor,  Dr  Sumner. 

'I  think  it  my  duty'  wrote  Dr  Yonge  to  the  Duke  on 
October  24th,  1756  'to  acquaint  your  Grace  with  some  circum- 
stances which  have  attended  the  admission  of  the  Provost  of 
King's,  as  one  of  them  very  much  concerns  your  Grace,  and 
the  others  bear  very  hard  upon  some  whose  names  are  not 
mentioned,  and  who  are,  I  hope,  incapable  of  deserving  the 
appellations  given  to  them.  The  Provost  was  presented  as  usual 
to  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln^  in  a  Latin  speech  which  was  made  by 
Mr  Upton,  who,  having  said  somewhat  of  the  morals  and 
learning  of  King's  college,  added  "utcunque  de  nobis  sentiant 
malevoli"  or  words  to  that  purpose.  In  the  college  he  was 
received  (as  usual  likewise)  with  another  Latin  speech  by  Mr 
Read  who  mentioned  the  "nebulonum  quorundam  convicia  in 
aulis  potentium  temere  sparsa."  What  led  Mr  Upton  to  his 
reflection  I  know  not,  but  the  expressions  of  Mr  Read  may  be 
accounted  for  from  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln's  answer  to  the  first 
speech,  part  of  which,  I  am  very  well  assured,  was  in  sense  as 
follows.  "  I  am  glad  to  hear  so  good  an  account  of  the  college,  I 
confess  I  thought  otherwise  of  it,  and  imagined  I  had  very  good 
authority  for  my  opinion;  for  the  Chancellor  of  the  university 
told  me  that  the  college,  to  which  I  was  related  as  visitor,  was 
the  worst  college  in  it."  This  affair  gives  great  concern  to  those 
here  who  have  the  honour  to  be  best  known  to  your  Grace,  as 
they  see  what  an  effect  it  must  have  upon  the  gentlemen  of 
King's  college,  who  look  upon  themselves  as  charged  with  great 
immoralities  and  great  want  of  literature.  I  am  told  that  Mr 
Read,  being  asked  whom  he  meant,  made  no  scruple  of  men- 
tioning Doctor  Squire's  name^,  but  did  not  explain  his  using  the 
plural  number.  Of  this  I  am  not  certain,  and  although  I  am  very 
clear  in  the  other  facts,  which  indeed  are  notorious,  yet  whether 
your  Grace  learning  them  from  me  should  be  a  secret  or  not  is  a 
doubt  with  me,  and  I  leave  it  entirely  to  your  Grace's  pleasure  ^.' 

1  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  233.  2  q^i^e  visitor  of  the  college. 

^  The  Chancellor's  university  secretary. 

4  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  410. 


3i8  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

It  Is  clear  from  the  above  account  that  it  was  within 
Newcastle's  power  to  join  with  the  defeated  minority 
in  making  war  upon  the  newly  elected  Provost  and  his 
supporters;  and  it  is  therefore  the  more  noteworthy  that 
he  pursued  an  entirely  opposite  policy.  On  discovering 
that 

if  the  new  Provost  owed  any  share  of  his  success  to  Lord  Sand- 
wich, (which  I  can  scarce  believe  he  did)  he  will  yet  certainly 
act  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  it  appear  that  he  was  ignorant 
of  it,  and  that  he  is  by  no  means  connected  with  his  Lordships, 

Newcastle  was  quite  prepared  to  bury  the  hatchet;  and, 
as  Sumner  was  equally  conciliatory,  the  two  antagonists 
established  friendly  relations  which  continued  even  after 
the  Duke  had  been  driven  from  the  Cabinet  by 
George  III  and  Lord  Bute.  A  few  months  after  New- 
castle had  ceased  to  be  a  servant  of  the  crown,  he 
mentioned  Dr  Sumner  as  one  who  had  remained  faithful 
to  him  in  the  days  of  adversity  ^,  and  although  later  on 
he  had  to  mourn  the  desertion  of  the  Provost  who 
warmly  supported  Lord  Sandwich  for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, he  had  at  least  the  consolation  of  knowing  that 
he  was  in  no  way  responsible  for  the  breach.  If  he  had 
failed  to  inspire  Dr  Sumner  with  a  devotion  proof 
against  all  temptations  of  worldly  advantage,  he  had  at 
least  succeeded  in  winning  and  for  several  years  retaining 
his  friendship;  and,  considering  how  unpromising  had 
been  the  beginning  of  their  connection,  this  was  no 
mean  achievement. 

Nor  was  Dr  Sumner  exceptionally  fortunate  in  re- 
ceiving this  conciliatory  treatment.  When  on  June  9th, 
1760,  Dr  Chapman,  Master  of  Magdalene,  died  after 
a  short  illness,  Newcastle  was  at  once  requested  by 
several  applicants  to  use  his  influence  with  Lady 
Portsmouth,  in  whose  gift,  as  the  owner  of  Audley  End, 
the  mastership  lay.  Dr  Ogden  expressed  the  hope  that 
1  Add.  MS.  32868,  f.  352.  2  Add.  MS.  32942,  f.  233. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES     319 

'your  Grace  will  promote  a  faithful  servant  and  one 
whom  your  former  bounty  has  already  made  your  own^' : 
Dr  Berridge  of  Clare  was  careful  to  say  that  he  was 
more  solicitous  of  the  dignity  and  honour  of  this  preferment 
through  your  influence  than  for  its  profits  and  emoluments, 
being,  (I  thank  God),  in  such  plenty  of  circumstances  as  can  no 
way  be  thought  necessitous^; 

while  Mr  Eliot,  Tutor  and  Fellow  of  Magdalene,  re- 
commended himself  on  the  ground  that  the  society 
wished  him  to  succeed  Dr  Chapman^.  Without  loss  of 
time  Newcastle  instructed  the  Master  of  Corpus  to  con- 
sult a  selected  number  of  Heads  of  Houses  as  to  the 
most  suitable  candidate  for  him  to  support,  and  wrote 
to  Lady  Portsmouth,  politely  requesting  her 
to  suspend  determining  anything  upon  the  vacancy  of  the  master- 
ship of  Magdalen  college... till  I  have  the  honour  to  lay  before 
you  the  wishes  and  inclinations  of  the  principal  members  of  the 
university,  who  are  the  first  friends  of  the  government,  and  whose 
advice  I  am  always  desirous  of  having*. 

The  Heads  of  Houses  recommended  Mr  Eliot  as  'a 
person  of  good  principles  and  learning,  zealouslyattached 
to  His  Majesty's  family  and  government,  very  accept- 
able to  your  Grace's  friends  here,  and  much  respected 
through  the  whole  university^';  and  Newcastle,  if  he 
had  been  given  the  opportunity,  would  certainly  have 
recommended  Eliot  to  Lady  Portsmouth.  But  Lady 
Portsmouth  had  not  waited  for  the  death  of  Dr  Chapman 
to  decide  upon  the  disposal  of  her  patronage. 

'  I  shall  always  be  glad '  she  replied  to  Newcastle  on  June  1 1  th 
'to  have  it  in  my  power  to  oblige  your  Grace,  but,  soon  after  I 
was  in  possession  of  Audely  End,  I  promised  the  first  vacancy 
of  the  preferment,  and  my  engagement  is  so  circumstanced  that 
it  is  impossible  for  me  to  receed  from  it^.' 

1  Add.  MS.  32907,  f.  141;  see  also  f.  98. 

2  Add.  MS.  32907,  f.  100.  3  ^jj_  JYJ5_  32907,  f.  102. 
*  Add.  MS.  32907,  f.  137,  f.  209. 

°  Add.  MS.  32908,  f.  209.  6  Add.  MS.  32907,  f.  160. 


320     THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

Lady  Portsmouth's  promise  had  been  given  to 
George  Sandby  who  was  rector  of  Denton  in  Norfolk 
and  an  Oxford  man;  and  Newcastle  was  not  unnaturally 
offended  by  the  slight  to  Cambridge  and  Magdalene. 
*I  think'  he  wrote  to  the  Master  of  Corpus  'my  Lady 
Portsmouth  does  very  unkindly  by  our  university  in 
not  taking  one  of  our  body,  especially  when  there  is 
so  very  deserving  an  one  at  the  college  as  Mr  Elliott 
is^.'  But  on  learning  that  the  new  Master  was  the  son 
of  a  zealous  and  orthodox  whig,  Newcastle  welcomed 
him  with  open  arms  and  warmly  commended  him  to 
his  friends  at  Cambridge^.  Nor  was  Sandby  unwilling 
to  be  won. 

'Permit  me  to  say'  he  wrote  to  the  Duke  in  August  1760 
'that  there  is  not  one  amongst  the  warmest  of  our  noble  Chan- 
cellor's friends  with  whom  your  Grace's  commands  might  be 
deposited  with  greater  confidence,  nor  who  would  execute  them, 
as  far  as  my  power  and  abilities  will  go,  with  more  observance, 
caution,  and  punctuality  than  myself  My  father  was  very  zealous 
in  the  Revolution  cause,  and  he  always  taught  me  by  principle 
to  succour  that  part  which  your  Grace  led  the  way  in,  and  which 
he  particularly  engaged  in  himself  under  the  counsel  (sic)  of  poor 
Mr  Pelham,  when  the  times  were  perilous  and  the  waste  of 
money  great.  It  was  upon  these  accounts  that  your  Grace, 
nineteen  years  ago,  promised  to  give  me  a  little  fresh  plumeage 
(sic)  for  all  that  which  my  father  had  destroyed;  and  when  the 
disturbances  in  the  house  of  commons  rendered  it  inconvenient 
then  to  your  Grace  to  do  what  you  had  designed,  I  soon  after- 
wards saw  my  sorrowing  father  to  his  grave,  and  have  sat  down 
performing  my  best  ever  since.  Providence  has  now  thrown  me 
before  your  Grace  again,  and,  if  it  pleases  your  Grace  to  raise 
me  up  with  any  favour,  it  shall  be  received  and  held  with  every 
token  of  gratitude^.' 

Sandby  moreover  was  as  enthusiastic  about  his  new 
university  as  he  was  about  its  Chancellor.   '  I  was  once 

1  Add.  MS.  32907,  f.  351;  see  also  f.  239,  f.  282,  f.  292. 

2  Add.  MS.  32908,  f.  152.  3  Add.  MS.  32909,  f.  376. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES     321 

an  Oxford  man'  he  wrote  a  few  months  after  his  ap- 
pointment as  Master  '  but  am  now  all  over  Cambridge  ^  * ; 
and  he  proved  himself  a  man  of  his  word.  Unlike  the 
Provost  of  King's  he  did  not  desert  to  Lord  Sandwich,, 
and,  if  he  erred,  it  was  in  excess  of  loyalty. 

'I  very  lately  made'  he  wrote  to  Newcastle  in  May  1765 
'a  domestick  of  Lord  Rockingham's  Fellow  of  Magdalen,  and 
told  him  that,  whenever  his  vote  could  be  of  use,  I  hoped  he 
would  remember  that  I  helped  to  it.  He  promised  that  he  would. 
I  have  likewise  three  bye  Fellowships  now  vacant,  and  I  intend 
keeping  them  so  till  within  a  year  of  the  general  election,  that  I 
may  know  the  better  how  to  dispose  of  them  2.' 

Lady  Portsmouth  had  indeed  given  the  Chancellor  a 
loyal  supporter;  but  it  is  to  the  credit  of  the  Duke  that 
he  was  politic  enough  to  welcome  the  intruder  into  the 
academic  fold^. 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  that  if  Newcastle 
quarrelled  with  a  college  it  was  only  with  reluctance 
and  under  great  provocation;  but  his  conciliatory  tactics 
were  not  always  successful.  It  was  almost  vital  for  his 
position  in  the  university  that  he  should  be  on  friendly 

1  Add.  MS.  32914,  f.  221.  2  Add.  MS.  32966,  f.  387. 

^  It  should  be  mentioned  that  in  October  1763  Newcastle  was 
disturbed,  though  without  adequate  reason,  about  the  Master  of 
Magdalene.  'I  send  you  an  unpleasant  letter'  he  wrote  to  the  Bishop 
of  Norwich  'which  I  have  received  from  Dr  Sandby.  I  generally  guess 
pretty  right  when  my  friends,  or  those  who  call  themselves  so,  begin  to 
cool  towards  me.  I  have  thought  for  some  months  that  that  was  the  case 
of  the  Master  of  Magdalene,  and  particularly  from  his  not  having  sent 
me  an  edition  of  his  Terence  which  he  put  out  in  August  last,  and  which 
I  saw  at  Wimple  in  that  month,  a  present  froin  the  editor.  I  own  it 
surprised  me,  and  I  spoke  to  Caryl  about  it.  He  has  now  sent  me  his 
Juvenal  with  some  hints  of  dissatisfaction.  Your  Lordship  is  very  good 
in  your  intentions  about  the  Chancellorship  and  I  hope  you  will,  when 
vacant,  determine  it  for  Dr  Sandby.'  Add.  MS.  32952,  f.  47.  The 
complaint  was  eminently  characteristic  of  Newcastle,  but  Sandby 
profited,  being  appointed  Chancellor  of  Norwich  in  July  1768.  Add. 
MS.  32990,  f  336. 


322  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

and  intimate  terms  with  Trinity  which,  as  one  of  the 
largest  colleges,  wielded  considerable  power;  and  yet 
this  proved  more  than  he  could  accomplish.  It  is  true 
that  Trinity  never  became  actively  hostile  until  Lord 
Sandwich  sought  to  establish  his  power  in  the  univer- 
sity, and  that  even  in  those  days  a  certain  number  of 
the  Fellows  remained  loyal  adherents  of  the  Duke;  but 
there  is  no  disputing  the  fact  that,  even  when  his  rela- 
tions with  the  college  were  outwardly  correct  and 
superficially  cordial,  Newcastle  was  less  sure  of  his 
ground  in  Trinity  than  in  most  of  the  colleges  where 
he  had  established  a  footing.  It  was  Trinity  which  led 
the  opposition  to  his  attempt  to  make  the  prolongation 
of  the  Vice-Chancellorship  for  a  second  year  the  rule 
and  not  the  exception;  and  this  was  not  the  only  occasion 
that  the  college  adopted  an  independent  line  and  proved 
unamenable  to  the  Chancellor's  influence. 

The  phenomenon  is  the  more  surprising  from  having 
no  obvious  cause.  Trinity  had  warmly  supported  the 
Duke  when  he  was  a  candidate  for  the  Chancellorship, 
and  until  the  accession  of  George  III  enjoyed  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  'the  great  strength  of  the  whig  interest^' 
in  the  university.  The  Duke  moreover  was  unsparing 
in  his  flattery  of  a  foundation  which  he  once  described 
as  'the  finest  college  in  England^,'  and  there  is  no 
possible  doubt  that  he  was  extremely  anxious  to  have 
the  support  of  a  society  which  could,  when  it  chose, 
play  an  important  and  often  a  decisive  part  in  university 
politics.  Yet  he  certainly  failed,  and  it  is  probable  that 
his  failure  was  due  to  various  and  unconnected  circum- 
stances rather  than  to  any  one  particular  blunder.  It 
has  already  been  suggested  that  his  intimacy  with 
St  John's  would  not  plead  in  his  favour  with  the  rival 
college;  and  it  also  appears  that  certain  of  the  Fellows 
of  Trinity  believed  that  the  Duke,  when  he  controlled 

1  Add.  MS.  32724,  f.  466.  2  Add.  MS.  32908,  f.  104. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  323 

the  crown's  ecclesiastical  patronage,  had  deprived  them 
of  their  fair  share  of  church  preferment. 

'Now  these  favours'  wrote  a  member  of  the  college  in  a 
periodical  in  1764  'so  great  and  singular,  how  have  they  been 
repaid?  Nay  sir,  don't  be  so  open-mouthed,  I  hear  what  you  are 
saying,  "by  prebends,  deaneries,  and  bishoprics."  Nothing  less 
I  assure  you;  I  hardly  know  of  one  man  who  has  been  preferred 
from  that  college^.' 

If  this  complaint  was  well  founded,  the  college  had 
an  undeniable  grievance  against  the  Chancellor;  and 
there  is  some  reason  to  think  that  the  influence  of  the 
Master,  Dr  Smith,  was  not  often  exercised  to  promote 
peace  and  goodwill.  Though  Dr  Smith  only  became  an 
avowed  enemy  of  the  Duke  when  there  was  nothing  to 
be  gained  by  serving  him,  he  never  appears  to  have  been 
on  more  than  terms  of  ordinary  courtesy  with  him,  and 
it  is  unlikely  that  Newcastle  ever  relied  upon  him  to 
further  his  interests.  It  should  not  be  assumed  that 
Dr  Smith  was  from  the  start  actively  working  against 
the  Duke,  but  there  are  indications  that  he  adopted  a 
neutral  attitude,  and  resented  as  an  encroachment  upon 
his  authority  any  attempt  by  Newcastle  to  establish 
his  influence  in  the  college. 

But  whatever  were  the  reasons  for  the  coolness,  it  is 
certain  that  Newcastle  was  very  far  from  being  hostile 
to  the  college,  and  that  on  the  one  occasion  when  he 
acted  against  its  wishes  he  was  the  victim  of  an  excusable 
error.  In  1755  Mark  Hildesley  was  promoted  from  the 
vicarage  of  Hitchin,  a  Trinity  living,  to  the  bishopric 
of  Sodor  and  Man;  and  as  at  this  date  the  sovereignty 
of  the  Isle  of  Man  was  vested  in  the  House  of  Athol,  it 
was  at  least  an  open  question  whether  in  the  case  of  this 
particular  see  the  crown  could  claim  its  usual  right  of 
presenting   to   a    living   vacated    by    promotion    to    a 

1   The  Scrutator-,  April  12th,  1764. 


324  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

bishopric.  Those  who  disputed  the  right  of  the  crown 
contended  that  there  was 

'no  instance  of  the  crown  presenting  to  any  benefice  upon  a 
promotion  to  the  see  of  Man,  that  there  are  instances  where 
the  private  patrons  have  presented,... that  in  a  case  of  a  contest 
between  the  crown  and  a  patron  for  the  right  of  presentation 
to  a  Hving  upon  the  promotion  of  a  bishop,  which  was  deter- 
mined in  favour  of  the  crown  and  which  is  reported  by  Levinz, 
the  judges  rest  their  arguments  very  much  upon  the  crown 
granting  the  temporahties,'  and  that  'no  temporahties  are 
granted  to  the  Bishop  of  Man  which  distinguishes  his  case  from 
that  of  other  bishops^.' 

Acting  however  on  the  advice  of  Hildesley,  who  men- 
tioned that  in  the  opinion  of  some  people  the  presenta- 
tion to  his  Hving  would  lapse  to  the  crown^,  the  Master 
of  Trinity  petitioned  Newcastle  that  a  Fellow  of  the 
college  should  be  appointed  to  the  vicarage  of  Hitchin. 

'The  good  Bishop  of  Sodor  and  Man,  formerly  one  of  my 
darling  pupils,'  he  wrote  on  May  2ist,  1755,  'having  been 
pleased  to  apply  to  your  Grace  to  desire  that  a  Fellow  of  his 
own  college  may  succeed  him  in  the  vicarage  of  Hitching,  if 
your  Grace  be  pleased  to  comply  with  the  Bishop's  request  and 
will  do  us  the  honour  to  name  the  clerk  or  leave  it  to  the  Bishop 
or  the  Master  and  seniors  to  recommend  one  to  your  Grace,  in 
any  case  it  will  be  accepted  by  this  society  as  a  particular  mark 
of  your  Grace's  favour^.' 

Unfortunately  the  Master  had  dallied  too  long,  and 
Newcastle  had  already  pledged  himself  to  give  the 
living  to  Hildesley's  curate,  Mr  John  Jones,  an  Oxonian, 
whose  claims  were  supported  by  the  parishioners  of 
Hitchin'^.  It  is  unlikely  that  the  Duke  would  have  thus 
committed  himself  if  he  had  remembered  that  the  living 
was  in  the  gift  of  Trinity:  but,  having  engaged  himself 
to  the  curate,  he  could  only  politely  refuse  to  comply 
with  Dr  Smith's  request.  There  the  matter  might  have 

1  Add.  MS.  328;;8,  f.  70.  2  ^^dd.  MS.  32860,  f.  463. 

3  Add.  MS.  32855,  f.  94.  4  Add.  MS.  32860,  f.  463. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  325 

ended  if  certain  Fellows  of  the  college  had  not  raised 
the  question  of  the  right  of  the  crown  to  present  to 
a  living  vacated  by  a  promotion  to  the  bishopric  of 
Sodor  and  Man. 

'As  soon  as  your  pre-engagement  was  known  in  the  college' 
wrote  Dr  Walker  to  the  Duke  in  November  1755  'many  of 
the  Fellows  came  in  a  body  to  the  Master  and  told  him  they 
were  well  advised  that  the  presentation  to  Hitchin  was  in  the 
college  and  not  in  the  crown,  and  begged  of  him  to  let  us  try 
our  right.  After  some  deliberation  it  was  agreed  at  first  to  enter 
a  caveat,  and  to  take  time  to  consider  whether  we  should  proceed 
in  the  affair  or  no.  Not  long  after  we  were  informed  from 
several  knowing  persons  in  such  affairs  that  the  preferments  of 
Bishops  of  Mann  did  not  lapse  to  the  crown  as  in  other  bishop- 
ricks,  upon  which  information  the  Master  and  seniors  unani- 
mously agreed  to  a  conclusion  to  try  the  college  right^.'  On 
July  7th,  1755,  it  was  agreed  by  the  Vice-Master  and  seniors, 
the  Master  consenting,  'that  the  college  presentation  to  the 
vicarage  of  Hitchin  be  granted  to  Mr  Morgan,  and,  if  it 
should  be  contested,  that  our  right  of  presentation  be  supported 
at  the  expense  of  the  college^.' 

Thus  the  action  of  the  crown  or  rather  of  Newcastle 
was  definitely  challenged,  and  the  Master  and  Fellows 
of  Trinity  were  set  upon  a  fight  to  a  finish.  Encouraged 
by  the  Bishop  of  Lincoln^,  who  sympathised  with  their 
attitude  and  in  whose  diocese  Hitchin  lay,  they  believed 
that  they  were  in  the  right,  and  that  their  action  would 
be  upheld  in  a  court  of  law.  Nor  was  it  only  for  a 
principle  that  they  were  contending,  for  the  curate  was 
objectionable  as  an  Oxonian,  and,  as  the  Master  ex- 
plained, they  had 

very  few  livings  in  their  gift  for  which  a  Fellow  would  quit  his 
Fellowship,  and  that  it  was  of  little  importance  to  the  crown 
because  the  case  of  the  Bishop  of  Sodor  and  Man  is  quite  distinct 
from  all  other  bishopricks*. 

1  Add.  MS.  32860,  f.  463.        2  Trinity  College  Conclusion  Book. 
3  John  Thomas.  *  Add.  MS.  32858,  f.  70. 


326  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

On  the  other  hand  it  was  extremely  difficult  for  New- 
castle to  retreat  with  honour  from  the  position  he  had 
taken  up,  and  indeed  he  could  not  do  so  without  estab- 
lishing a  precedent  against  the  crown  which  would 
certainly  not  be  forgotten.  He  was  advised  by  the  crown 
lawyers  not  to  abandon  what  they  regarded  as  a  legal 
right:  and,  if  he  had  viewed  the  dispute  exclusively 
from  the  point  of  view  of  the  king's  Prime  Minister,  he 
would  probably  have  accepted  the  challenge  of  the 
college.  But  as  the  Chancellor  of  the  university  he 
could  not  forget  that  a  quarrel  with  Trinity  might 
seriously  prejudice  his  position;  and  he  therefore  sought 
for  a  compromise,  directing  Lord  Dupplin  in  August 
1755  to  propose  to  Dr  Smith 

to  have  the  matter  of  right  referred  to  any  indifferent  person  or 
persons,  and  mentioned  the  Master  of  the  Rolls  as  being  one 
who  could  not  be  an  unfavourable  judge  to  his  own  college^. 

The  Master  however  stubbornly  refused  arbitration, 
and  Newcastle,  probably  because  he  was  loath  to  offend 
Trinity,  unconditionally  surrendered  and  allowed  the 
nominee  of  the  college  to  remain  in  undisputed  pos- 
session of  the  living^. 

As  the  college  had  been  completely  triumphant  and 

1  Add.  MS.  32858,  f.  70. 

^  There  is  the  following  note  on  p.  356  of  the  Rev.  Weeden  Butler's 
Memoirs  of  Dr  Hildesley.  'Mr  Jones's  expectation  of  obtaining  the 
presentation  to  Hitchin  must  appear  a  little  singular  at  first  sight:  as 
the  patronage  was  in  Trinity  college,  Cambridge,  and  Mr  Jones  himself 
belonged  to  Oxford.  But  the  case  was  this:  the  king  usually  filling  up 
such  preferments  as  became  vacant  upon  the  appointment  of  a  new 
bishop,  it  was  supposed  that  the  prerogative  would  have  extended  to  the 
instance  of  Dr  Hildesley's  promotion,  which  it  did  not.  The  parishioners 
however  petitioned  the  college  in  behalf  of  Mr  Jones,  not  being  aware 
of  the  informality  of  so  doing:  or  that  a  society  were  not  likely  to 
dispose  of  the  presentation  to  any  one  not  a  member  of  their  body.' 
The  parishioners  may  have  petitioned  the  college  but  they  certainly 
petitioned  Newcastle  through  a  certain  Mr  Plummer.  Add.  MS. 
32860,  f.  463. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  327 

Newcastle  had  completely  cleared  himself  from  any 
suspicion  of  malice,  it  is  impossible  to  believe  that  the 
incident  was  productive  of  anything  more  than  a 
temporary  coolness:  and  there  is  no  reason  to  think 
that,  if  it  had  never  happened,  the  relations  between 
Newcastle  and  the  college  would  have  been  more 
cordial.  The  most  fundamental  factor  in  the  situation 
was  probably  the  lack  of  any  friendly  understanding 
between  the  Master  and  the  Duke :  and  as  the  master- 
ship of  Trinity  is  in  the  gift  of  the  crown,  it  was  un- 
fortunate for  Newcastle  that  he  never  had,  subsequently 
to  his  election  as  Chancellor,  an  opportunity  of  dis- 
posing of  this  particular  piece  of  royal  patronage. 
Dr  Smith  did  not  die  until  February  2nd,  1768,  and  by 
that  date  Newcastle  was  not  only  on  the  verge  of  the 
grave  himself  but  shorn  of  his  former  greatness  and 
out  of  favour  with  the  court.  Yet,  though  opposed  to 
the  government  and  without  any  appreciable  political 
influence,  he  could  not  relinquish  all  idea  of  establishing 
a  friend  as  Master  of  Trinity,  and  when  his  loyal  sup- 
porter, James  Backhouse,  one  of  the  Trinity  Tutors, 
asked  for  his  assistance,  he  was  not  deaf  to  the  appeal. 
He  could  not  have  been  sanguine  of  success,  for  he 
knew  that  the  Prime  Minister,  the  Duke  of  Grafton, 
was  warmly  in  favour  of  Dr  HinchlifFe,  and  that 
Grafton  was  entitled  to  advise  the  King  as  to  the  ap- 
pointment: but,  as  on  some  previous  occasion  the  Arch- 
bishop had  'recommended  Mr  Backhouse  to  the  King, 
in  case  of  a  vacancy,  for  the  mastership  of  Trinity^,' 
it  was  to  the  Archbishop  that  Newcastle  turned. 

'I  have  had  an  account  this  day'  he  wrote  on  January  30th, 
1768,  'that  the  Master  of  Trinity  is  so  ill  that  he  cannot  last 
many  days.  Your  Grace  knows  how  much  I  have  at  heart  Mr 
Backhouse's  success.  He  is  a  very  worthy  man  and  has  great 
merit  from  the  long  laborious  part  he  has  had  of  being  a  Tutor 

1  Add.  MS.  32988,  f.  125. 


328  THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES 

with  great  reputation  in  a  great  college:  and  his  services  have 
been  such  as  to  give  him  just  pretensions  to  the  mastership  when 
it  shall  be  vacant.... If  Mr  Backhouse  should  be  Master  and  that 
college  should  join  with  St  John's,  we  shall  then  have  nothing 
to  fear... .The  Bishop  of  Norwich  has  sent  for  Mr  Backhouse 
to  town,  and  intends  that  he  shall  wait  upon  your  Grace  as  soon 
as  possible  after  his  arrival^.' 

Backhouse  arrived  in  London  on  January  30th  or 
perhaps  before^,  and  waited  upon  the  Archbishop:  but 
both  his  visit  and  the  Duke's  letter  failed  to  produce 
the  desired  effect.  The  Archbishop,  who  was  confined 
to  his  house,  declined  to  write  to  the  King  on  behalf 
of  Backhouse,  pleading  that  as  his  advice  had  not  been 
sought  by  the  crown,  he  was  not  justified  in  giving  it : 
though  apparently,  if  he  had  been  able  to  attend  at 
court,  he  would  have  been  prepared  to  speak  to  the 
King  in  favour  of  Backhouse.  He  however  suggested 
that  the  Bishop  of  London  might  say  a  good  word  to 
the  King  for  Backhouse,  but  it  is  quite  clear  that  he 
believed  the  enterprise  to  be  hopeless;  and  the  Bishop 
of  Norwich  reported  that,  when  Backhouse  returned 
from  Lambeth,  'he  thought  from  all  he  could  collect 
from  the  Archbishop  that  all  was  over,  and  he  said  he 
would  be  the  first  to  congratulate  with  Dr  Hinchliffe, 
and  would  study  to  live  upon  the  best  terms  with  him 
at  college^.'  It  is  possible  that  the  Archbishop  was 
franker  with  Backhouse  than  he  was  with  the  Duke: 
and  the  Bishop  of  London,  if  he  interceded  with  the 
King,  failed  to  persuade.  Grafton  had  the  royal  ear  and 
Dr  Hinchliffe  was  appointed  Master  of  Trinity. 

Newcastle  was  not  to  live  to  see  another  Head  of  a 
House  appointed,  and  before  the  year  was  out  he  was 
in  his  grave.  It  is  obvious  that  he  did  not  attain  the 
power  he  coveted  in  the  university,  and  that  he  was  still 

1  Add.  MS.  32988,  f.  118.  2  Add.  MS.  32988,  f.  122. 

3  Add.  MS.  32988,  f.  148;  see  also  f.  124,  f.  125. 


THE  CHANCELLOR  AND  THE  COLLEGES  329 

more  unsuccessful  in  his  excursions  into  college  politics. 
Yet  he  can  only  be  held  to  have  failed  if  judged  by  the 
standard  which  he  set  himself.  Few  Chancellors  can 
have  played  a  more  active  and  dominant  part  in  univer- 
sity affairs :  and  the  strongest  testimony  to  his  influence 
is  that  in  the  day  of  his  greatest  impotence  in  the  State 
he  was  able  to  defeat  Lord  Sandwich  who  had  the  court 
and  ministry  behind  him.  As  a  politician  and  a  servant 
of  the  State  he  would  have  been  doubtless  well  advised 
not  to  toil  so  arduously  in  a  field  from  which  he  could 
reap  no  adequate  harvest:  but,  had  he  been  wiser,  we 
should  have  been  poorer.  Had  he  not  so  ceaselessly 
interfered  and  so  carefully  preserved  the  records  of  his 
campaigns,  we  should  know  far  less  about  eighteenth 
century  Cambridge  and  the  way  the  academic  game  was 
played.  And  for  that  we  owe  him  gratitude. 


INDEX 


Abbot,  William,  Fellow  and  Tutor 

of  St  John's,  and  the  question  of 

re-admissions,  82  n.  i 
Abdy,  Sir  Anthony,  brother-in-law 

of  Professor  Rutherforth,  255  and 

n.  I,  256 
Adams,  Judge,  18 
Addresses,  university,  153-159,  307- 

314 

Alvis,  Andrew,  .  Fellow  of  St 
John's,  and  the  election  of  a 
Master  of  St  John's  in  1765, 
260 

Amelia,  Princess,  262 

Andrews,  a  candidate  for  a  Fellow- 
ship of  Trinity  Hall,  272,  274, 
276,  277 

Anglesey,  Arthur  Annesley,  Earl  of. 
High  Steward  of  the  University, 
36 

Ansell,  Thomas,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall,  and  the  dinner  of  the  West- 
minster club,  2 1 1-2 12;  proceed- 
ings against  in  the  Vice-Chancel- 
lor's court,  213-216;  and  the 
right  of  appeal,  216-218;  and  the 
election  of  Marriott  to  a  Fellow- 
ship of  Trinity  Hall,  274-275; 
and  the  election  of  Crespigny  to  a 
Fellowship  of  Trinity  Hall,  277; 
and  Marriott's  election  as  Master 
of  Trinity  Hall,  285,  289-290, 
293,  295,  297 

Appeal,  right  of,  205-222 

Armitage,  Sir  John,  23 

Ashcroft,  Thomas,  Fellow  of  St 
John's,  251 

Ashdon,  Rectory  of,  239 

Ashton,   Charles,   Master   of  Jesus, 

49 
Athol,    Dukes   of,   and    the    Isle   of 

Man,  323 
Audley  End,  and  the  Mastership  of 

Magdalene,  318,  319 
Ayscough,     Francis,     Chaplain     to 

Frederick,  Prince  of  Wales,  47 


Backhouse,  James,  Fellow  and  Tutor 
of  Trinity,  his  merits  as  a  Tutor, 
7,  15;  and  the  new  regulations, 
209;  and  the  Trinity  Fellowship 
election  in  1762,  14-15;  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship  in  1764,  69,  75, 
77  n.  5,  95-96;  and  the  conflict 
between  the  undergraduates  and 
seniority  in  1764,  117;  and  the 
election  of  the  Caput  in  1764,  126 
n.  5;  and  the  election  of  a  Vice- 
Chancellor  in  1764,  134;  a  candi- 
date for  the  Mastership  of  Trinity 
in  1768,  327-328;  relations  with 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  232 

Bacon,  of  Gonville  and  Caius,  92 

Balguy,  Thomas,  Fellow  of  St 
John's,  and  the  question  of  the 
right  of  appeal,  220 

Banson,  John,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall,  and  the  question  of  the  right 
of  appeal,  218 

Barker,  son  of  the  Duke  of  Rutland's 
steward,  68 

Barnard,  Edward,  Headmaster  and 
afterwards  Provost  of  Eton,  sup- 
ports Lord  Hardwicke  for  the 
High  Stewardship  in  1764,  61,  73; 
and  the  election  of  a  Vice-Chan- 
cellor  in  1764,  134;  and  Dr  John- 
son, 73 

Barnardiston,  John,  elected  Master 
of  Corpus  in  1764,  130,  238; 
elected  Vice-Chancellor  in  1764, 
130-137;  and  the  examination  for 
the  Chancellor's  medals,  223;  and 
the  election  of  the  Duke  of  Grafton 
as  Chancellor  in  1768,  143 

Barton,  Captain,  68 

Barton,  of  Clare,  94 

Barton,  Cutts,  Dean  of  Bristol, 
68 

Bedford,  John  Russell,  Duke  of,  and 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle's  candida- 
ture for  the  Chancellorship,  41-43, 


332 


INDEX 


46;  and  Lord  Sandwich's  candi- 
dature for  the  High  Stewardship, 

59^  73         » 

Bennet,  92 

Bennet,  Thomas,  Esquire  Bedell,  109 

Bentley,  Richard,  Master  of  Trinity, 
I,  4,  115  n.  3 

Berridge,  Charles,  Fellow  of  Clare, 
and  Lord  Hardwicke's  candida- 
ture for  the  High  Stewardship,  64, 
93;  applies  for  the  Mastership  of 
Magdalene,  319;  see  also  150 

Bickham,  James,  Fellow  of  Em- 
manuel, and  the  question  of  the 
right  of  appeal,  220 

Biddle,  Dr,  and  the  election  of  a 
Vice-Chancellor  in  1764,  134 

Bigg,  of  Clare,  93-94 

Birkbeck,  Edward,  Fellow  of  St 
John's,  supports  the  candidature 
of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  for  the 
Chancellorship,  45 

Bowers,  Thomas,  Bishop  of  Chiches- 
ter, and  the  Duke  of  Newcastle, 

35"-  I  . 

Bristol,  Bishop  of,  see  Philip  Yonge 

Bristol,  Dean  of,  see  Barton 

Brockett,  18 

Brockett,  Laurence,  Fellow  of  Trin- 
ity and  Regius  Professor  of 
Modern  History,  supports  Lord 
Sandwich's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  77,  113  n.  5; 
and  the  conflict  between  the  under- 
graduates and  seniority  in  1764, 
1 17  and  n.  i 

Brooke,  Zachary,  Fellow  and  Tutor 
of  St  John's,  thinks  of  standing 
for  the  Mastership  of  St  John's  in 
1758,  241-244;  supports  Lord 
Sandwich's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  77,  113  n.  5, 
245;  elected  to  the  Lady  Margaret 
Professorship  of  Divinity  in  1765, 
246-266;  a  candidate  for  the 
Mastership  of  St  John's  in  1765, 
247-260 

Brown,  James,  Fellow  and  after- 
wards Master  of  Pembroke,  and 
the  dinner  of  the  Westminster 
Club,  21 1-215 

Boyce,    William,   sets   the    Duke   of 


Newcastle's  installation  ode  to 
music,  51 

Buckden,  87  and  n.  2 

Bull,  John,  scholar  of  Christ's,  2  r 

Burrel,  see  Burrell 

Burrell,  Sir  William,  and  the  election 
of  a  Vice-Chancellor  in  1764,  134 

Burrough,  Sir  James,  Master  of 
Gonville  and  Caius,  and  the 
Senate  House  and  the  Library 
East  Front,  223-225,  223  n.  3; 
elected  Master,  233;  elected  Vice- 
Chancellor,  28;  and  the  address 
on  the  fall  of  Quebec,  156-157; 
knighted,  157;  entertains  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle,  150;  and  the 
address  on  the  Peace  of  Paris,  312; 
and  Lord  Sandwich's  candidature 
for  the  High  Stewardship,  67,  77, 
130  n.  4,  233;  and  the  question  of 
re-admissions,  97  n.  i ;  his  popu- 
larity in  the  university,  224  and 
n.  2;  Newcastle's  distrust  of,  233; 
death  of,  131 

Butcher,  of  Peterborough,  42,  44 

Bute,  John  Stuart,  Earl  of,  318 

Calvert,  John,  283  n.  i 
Calvert,  Nicholson,  283  n.  r 
Calvert,  Peter,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall,  nominated  to  a  Fellowship, 
270-271;  and  the  election  of 
Marriott  to  a  Fellowship,  274- 
275;  and  the  election  of  Crespigny 
to  a  Fellowship,  277;  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  66,  281;  and 
the  election  of  Marriott  as  Master 
of  Trinity  Hall,  282-286,  288, 
291,  293,  295;  recommended  to 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  for 
the  office  of  Dean  of  Arches,  283 
n.  I ;  and  the  election  of  a  Vice- 
Chancellor  in  1764,  134 
Canterbury,  Archbishop  of,  see 
Thomas  Herring,  Matthew  Hut- 
ton,  Thomas  Seeker 
Caput,  method  of  electing,  30  and 
n.  I,  125;  its  powers,  30-32;  and 
the  appointment  of  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle  as  High  Steward,  37; 
election  of  in  1764,  124-127 


INDEX 


333 


Cardale,  Joseph,  Fellow  and  Bursar 
of  St  John's,  249  and  n  i. 

Carlisle,  Dean  of,  see  Charles  Tarrent 

Carlisle,  George  Howard,  Earl  of,  68 

Carr,  of  Clare  College,  94 

Carr,  George,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall,  nominated  to  a  Fellowship, 
270;  and  Marriott's  election  to  a 
Fellowship,  274-275;  and  Cres- 
pigny's  election  to  a  Fellowship, 
277-278;  supporter  of  the  Duke 
of  Newcastle,  279;  vacates  his 
Fellowship,  281 

Carrington,  James,  undergraduate 
of  Trinity,  signs  the  Admonition 
in  1764,  118 

Caryl,  Lynford,  Master  of  Jesus,  and 
the  new  regulations,  209;  and  the 
East  Front  of  the  Library,  226- 
227;  recommends  Carr  for  a 
Fellowship  of  Trinity  Hall,  2 70; 
appointed  to  the  Mastership  of 
Jesus,  235-236,  236  n.  I ;  elected 
Vice-Chancellor,  179;  activities  as 
Vice-Chancellor,  28-29;  ^^^  Duke 
of  Newcastle's  agent  at  Cam- 
bridge, 147,  232;  entertains  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle,  150;  and  the 
address  on  the  fall  of  Quebec,  155- 
156;  and  the  election  of  Waring 
to  the  Lucasian  Professorship  of 
Mathematics,  195;  and  the  address 
on  the  accession  of  George  HI, 
157;  and  the  address  on  the  Peace 
of  Paris,  312;  and  mandate  degrees, 
167-170;  and  Lord  Hardwicke's 
candidature  for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 66-67,  69,  77,  85,  91-93;  and 
the  legal  proceedings  connected 
with  Lord  Hardwicke's  candida- 
ture, 122-123;  and  the  election  of 
Marriott  as  Master  of  Trinity  Hall, 
282,  292, 293,  296;  and  the  election 
of  the  Caput  in  1764,  126  and  n.  5; 
and  the  election  of  a  Vice-Chancel- 
lor in  1764,  131,  134-137;  and  the 
elections  to  the  Lady  Margaret 
Professorship  and  Mastership  of  St 
John's  in  1765,  257,  258,  264-265; 
and  thestatueof  GeorgeH,  228  ;and 
the  Duke  of  Grafton's  election  as 
Chancellor,  140,  143;  see  also  119 


Carysfort,  John  Proby,  Lord,  sup- 
ports Lord  Sandwich's  candida- 
ture for  the  High  Stewardship,  80 
-81,  96;  accompanies  Lord  Sand- 
wich to  Cambridge,  113 

Castle,  Edmund,  Master  of  Corpus, 
appointed  Dean  of  Hereford,  1 1 ; 
as  Vice-Chancellor,  38,  40,  41; 
death  of,  236-237 

Castley,  Thomas,  Fellow  of  Jesus, 
92  and  n.  6 

Cavendish,  Lord  John,  23 

Cay,  Fellow  of  Clare,  303 

Chancellor  of  the  university,  26,  27; 
method  of  appointment,  41;  a 
member  of  the  house  of  regents, 
32n.  i;  installation  of  Duke  of 
Newcastle  as,  29;  and  university 
addresses,  153-154;  and  mandate 
degrees,  1 61-162,  170 

Chancellor's  medals,  custom  of  giving 
begun  by  the  Duke  of  Newcastle, 
222-223;  31^^  Francis Maseres,  196 

Chapman,  Archdeacon  John,  dis- 
pute with  the  Master  of  Emmanuel 
over  the  precentorship  of  Lincoln, 
77  n.  5 

Chapman,  Thomas,  Master  of  Mag- 
dalene, and  the  election  of  Dr 
Green  as  Regius  Professor  of 
Divinity,  182,  185-186;  and 
Duke  of  Newcastle's  election  as 
Chancellor,  47 ;  and  Duke  of  New- 
castle's installation  as  Chancellor, 
49~53  5  ^'^^  the  new  regulations, 
199,  209;  and  the  question  of  the 
right  of  appeal,  220;  and  the  pro- 
longation of  Dr  Yonge's  term  of 
office  as  Vice-Chancellor,  173; 
author  of  a  work  on  the  Roman 
Senate,  5;  his  death,  8,  318-319 

Charles  H,  and  mandate  degrees,  160 

Chester,  P'shop  of,  see  Edmund 
Keene 

Chesterfield,  Philip  Dormer  Stan- 
hope, Earl  of,  and  the  Prince  of 
Wales'  candidature  for  the  Chan- 
cellorship, 40-41 

Chevallier,  John,  Fellow  and  after- 
wards Master  of  St  John's,  sup- 
ports Lord  Hardwicke  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  63  and  n.  i 


334 


INDEX 


Chichester,  Bishop  of,  see  Thomas 
Bowers 

Christ's  College,  disturbance  in,  20- 
23;  Duke  of  Newcastle's  relations 
with,  234;  and  Lord  Hardwicke's 
candidature  for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 104;  and  the  election  of  the 
Duke  of  Grafton  as  Chancellor, 

Clare  College,  affection  of  Duke  of 
Newcastle  for,  11,  298;  the  Duke 
of  Newcastle  entertained  by, 
150;  election  of  Dr  Goddard  as 
Master,  298-304;  and  Hagar's 
appeal,  304-307;  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle's  quarrel  with,  315- 
316;  and  Lord  Hardwicke's  candi- 
dature for  the  High  Stewardship, 
104 

Clive,  Robert,  Lord,  166-168,  170 

Cole,  William,  and  George  Mounsey, 
9;  and  Dr  Newcome,  48;  and  Dr 
Chapman,  53;  and  Dr  Keene,  58 
n.  I ;  and  the  East  Front  of  the 
Library,  227 

Colson,  John,  Lucasian  Professor  of 
Mathematics,  death  of,  194 

Constitution  of  the  university,  25- 
33,  80-82,  80  n.  I 

Cornwallis,  Hon.  Frederick,  Bishop 
of  Lichfield,  61  and  n.  2 

Corpus  Christi  College,  election  of  a 
master  in  1750,  236-238;  election 
of  a  master  in  1764,  130;  supports 
Lord  Hardwicke  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  104;  and  the  Duke 
of  Grafton's  election  as  Chancellor, 
141 

Cotterell,  Sir  Clement,  Master  of 
the  Ceremonies  at  the  Duke 
of  Newcastle's  installation,  51 
n.  3  . 

Courtail,  John,  Fellow  and  Tutor  of 
Clare,  and  the  new  regulations, 
209 

Craven  scholarship,  examination 
for,  12-14 

Crespigny,  Claude  Champion,  Fel- 
low of  Trinity  Hall,  elected  to  a 
Fellowship,  277-279;  and  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle,  279;  vacates 
Fellowship,  281 


Crew,  Samuel,  Fellow  of  Trinity, 
and  the  dinner  of  the  Westminster 
Club,  2 1 1-2 12;  proceedings  a- 
gainst  in  the  Vice-Chancellor's 
court,  212-215 

Cumberland,  Duke  of,  76  n.  2,  134, 
252 

Cumberland,  Richard,  6-7 

Dale,  Robert,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall,  and  the  election  of  John 
Robinson  to  a  Fellowship,  269; 
and  the  election  of  James  Marriott 
to  a  Fellowship,  275  n.  2;  and 
Lord  Hardwicke's  candidature  for 
the  High  Stewardship,  66;  and  the 
election  of  Marriott  as  Master, 
288,  290  and  n.  2,  293-295 

Damerham,  living  of,  held  by  Dr 
Ogden,  rr 

Dartmouth,  W^illiam  Legge,  Earl  of, 

^^ 
Davis,   Henry,   Fellow  of  Trinity, 

117  and  n.  i 

Dawes,  Richard,  4 

De  Grey,  William,  Solicitor  General, 
and  the  legal  proceedings  con- 
nected with  Lord  Hardwicke's 
candidature  for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 123-124 

Denton,  320 

Devonshire,  William  Cavendish, 
fourth  Duke  of,  68,  89;  and  Dr 
Ridlington,  278;  and  the  address 
on  the  Peace  of  Paris,  309  and  n.  i 

Devonshire,  William  Cavendish, 
fifth  Duke  of,  255  and  n.  i 

Dickins,  Francis,  Regius  Professor 
of  Civil  Law  and  Fellow  of  Trin- 
ity Hall,  269 

Disney,  William,  Regius  Professor  of 
Hebrew  and  Fellow  of  Trinity, 
supports  Lord  Hardwicke's  can- 
didature for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 72 

Divinity,  Regius  Professor  of,  dis- 
qualified for  election  as  Vice-Chan- 
cellor,  27  n.  2;  election  of,  182-193 

Doctors,  Vice-Chancellor's  authority 
over,  29;  and  the  Caput,  30;  right 
of  voting  in  either  house  of  the 
Senate,  31-32,  103-104,  104  n.  r 


INDEX 


335 


Doctors'  Commons,  and  the  Fellows 
of  Trinity  Hall,  267,  282-283, 
287,  293;  see  also  268 

Draper,  Colonel,  afterwards  Sir 
William,  supports  Lord  Sand- 
wich's candidature  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  96 

Drummond,  Robert,  Archbishop  of 
York,  supports  Lord  Hardwicke's 
candidature  for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 64,  71,  94 

Dupplin,  Thomas  Hay,  Lord,  repre- 
sentative of  the  borough  of  Cam- 
bridge in  parliament,  43-44;  and 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle's  candi- 
dature for  the  Chancellorship,  43 
and  n.  6,  45-46,  '47  n.  6;  and  the 
election  of  Dr  Green  as  Regius 
Professor  of  Divinity,  185;  and 
the  new  regulations,  208  n.  5;  and 
the  election  of  John  Robinson  to  a 
Fellowship  at  Trinity  Hall,  269; 
and  the  dispute  with  Trinity  over 
the  living  of  Hitchin,  326;  see  also 
174,  243 

Duquesne,  271 

Edgecumbe,  George  Edgecumbe, 
Lord,  65 

Egremont,  Charles  Wyndham,  Earl 
of,  170 

Ekins,  Jeffery,  Fellow  of  King's,  68, 
69  and  n.  2 

Ekins,  Rector  of  Barton  in  North- 
amptonshire, 68 

Eliot,  Fellow  and  Tutor  of  Magda- 
lene, anxious  for  the  mastership, 
319,  320 

Elkin,  19 

Elkin,  Rose,  the  "fair  Jewess,"   19 

Ellis,  William,  arranges  to  pair  with 
Dr  Berridge,  93 

Elliston,  William,  Master  of  Sidney 
Sussex,  elected  Master,  61  and 
n.  7;  and  the  address  on  the  Peace 
of  Paris,  312;  supports  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
office  of  High  Steward,  61,  64,  72, 
77-79'  84»  86-90,  96-97,  99-102, 
104-112;  and  the  question  of  re- 
admissions,     98-99;     and     Lord 


Sandwich's  visit  to  Cambridge, 
114;  and  the  legal  proceedings 
connected  with  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 123-124;  and  his  resignation 
of  the  Vice-Chancellorship,  127- 
129;  see  also  126 

Ely,  Bishop  of.  Mastership  of  Jesus 
in  gift  of,  235 

Ely,  Bishop  of,  see  Sir  Thomas 
Gooch  and  Matthias  Mawson 

Ely,  Dean  of,  see  Hugh  Thomas 

Emmanuel  College,  and  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle's  election  as  Chancellor, 
48;  and  the  election  of  a  High 
Steward,  104  n.  2;  little  influence 
of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  in,  233 

Esquire  Bedell,  32  n.  i,  52,  109 

Euston,  Earl  of,  see  Duke  of  Grafton 

Evans,  92 

Ewer,  Rev.  John,  candidate  for  the 
Provostship  of  King's,  68  and  n.  4, 
316,  317 

Exeter,  Bishop  of,  see  Frederick 
Keppel 

Exeter,  Brownlow  Cecil,  Earl  of,  and 
Dr  Ridlington,  278 

Eyre,  Venn,  and  the  archdeaconry 
of  Carlisle,  238-239 

Fellow-commoners,  behaviour  of, 
17,  20-23;  usual  annual  allowance 
for,  23  n.  2 

Ferris,  Thomas,  Fellow  of  St  John's, 
95  and  n.  3 

Flitcroft,  150 

Flitcroft,  Henry,  150  and  n.  2 

Folkes,  Major,  17-18 

Folkestone,  William  de  Bouverie, 
Viscount,  65 

Forster,  Ralph,  Fellow  of  St  John's, 
and  Lord  Sandwich's  candidature 
for  the  High  Stewardship,  io6- 
iio,  113  n.  5,  123;  see  also  125 

Fountaine,  Thomas,  Fellow  of 
Trinity,  15,  75 

Frampton,  Thomas,  Fellow  of  St 
John's,  a  candidate  for  the  master- 
ship in  1765,  260,  263-265 

Francis,  Alban,  given  a  mandate 
degree,  161 

Francklin,  Thomas,  Fellow  of 
Trinity  and   Regius  Professor  of 


336 


INDEX 


Greek,  and  the  dinner  of  the 
Westminster  Club,  211-213;  pro- 
ceedings against  in  the  Vice-Chan- 
cellor's court,  2 1 3-2 1 5 

Frederick,  Prince  of  Wales,  a  candi- 
date for  the  Chancellorship,  38- 
49,  240;  and  the  Leicester  House 
party,  269 

Fuller,  John,  and  the  Trinity  Fel- 
lowship election  in  1762,  14-15; 
see  also  75  n.  i 

Fuller,  Rose,  and  the  Trinity  Fellow- 
ship election  in  1762,  14 

Gainsborough,  Countess  of,  94 

Gainsborough,  262  and  n.  i 

Garnet,  John,  Fellow  of  Sidney 
Sussex,  and  the  new  regulations, 
209 

Gawthrop,  William,  Fellow  of 
Trinity  College,  persuaded  by 
James  Backhouse  to  vote  for  Lord 
Hardwicke  as  High  Steward,  95- 
96,  96  n.  I 

George  H,  and  the  East  Front  of  the 
Library,  226-227;  statue  of,  227- 
230;  see  also  35 

George  III,  and  Lord  Sandwich's 
candidature  for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 56-59,  73,  112;  see  also  s^, 
240 

George,  William,  Provost  of  King's, 
supports  the  candidature  of  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle  for  the  Chan- 
cellorship, 44;  and  the  election  of 
Dr  Green  as  Regius  Professor  of 
Divinity,  182-186;  death  of,  190, 
316 

Gisborne,  Thomas,  Physician  in 
ordinary  to  the  King,  asked  to 
vote  for  Lord  Sandwich  as  High 
Steward,  73-74;  and  the  election 
of  a  Vice-Chancellor  in  1764,  134 

Gisbourn,  see  Gisborne 

Glynn,  Robert,  Fellow  of  King's, 
nominated  for  election  to  the 
Caput  in  1764,  126  n.  5 

Goddard,  Peter  Stephen,  Master  of 
Clare,  and  the  appointment  of  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle  as  High 
Steward,  37,  299;  applies  to  the 
Duke    of    Newcastle    for    church 


preferment,  37-38,  299;  elected 
Master  of  Clare,  266,  298-304; 
elected  Vice-Chancellor,  304;  and 
the  proceedings  connected  with 
Hagar's  appeal,  304-307;  and  the 
address  on  the  Peace  of  Paris,  307- 
314;  and  mandate  degrees,  166, 
168,  170-171,  314;  supports  Lord 
Sandwich's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  77,  130  n.  4, 
315;  and  the  question  of  re-ad- 
missions, 80,  97;  and  the  election 
of  a  Caput  in  1764,  126;  pub- 
lishes a  volume  of  sermons,  315 

Godolphin,  Francis  Godolphin, 
Earl  of,  father  in  law  of  the  Duke 
of  Newcastle,  50  n.  2 

Gonville  and  Caius  College,  in- 
fluence of  Tory  party  in,  46,  48 ; 
and  the  East  Front  of  the  Library, 
225;  and  Lord  Sandwich's  candi- 
dature for  the  High  Stewardship, 
104;  Lord  Sandwich  entertained 
at,  115;  the  election  of  Dr  Smith 
as  Master  of,  131;  little  influence 
of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  in,  233 

Gooch,  Sir  Thomas,  Master  of  Caius 
and  Bishop  of  Ely,  and  the  Prince 
of  Wales'  candidature  for  the  Chan- 
cellorship, 40-41,  44;  and  Dr 
Parris,  Master  of  Sidney,  46 ;  and 
the  appointment  of  Dr  Yonge  as 
Master  of  Jesus,  235,  236  n.  i ;  and 
the  question  of  the  right  of  appeal, 
207;  a  loyal  supporter  of  the  Duke 
of  Newcastle,  233 

Gould,  Fellow  of  Clare,  302-303 

Graces,  method  of  passing,  31-32, 
108,  I  lo-i  1 1 ;  see  also,  26 

Grafton,  Augustus  Henry,  third 
Duke  of,  his  good  behaviour  as  a 
student  at  the  university,  23;  his 
acquaintance  with  Samuel  Peck, 
Fellow  of  Trinity,  69;  supports 
Lord  Hardwicke  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  69-71;  suggested  as 
a  possible  candidate  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  loo-ioi,  loin.  3; 
and  the  election  of  a  Master  of  St 
John's  in  1765,  251  and  n.  3,  252; 
appoints  Dr  HinchlifFe  Master  of 
Trinity,  327-328 


INDEX 


337 


Grafton,  Charles  Fitzroy,  second 
Duke  of,  visited  by  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle,  54 

Granby,  John  Manners,  Marquis 
of,  316 

Grantham,  Thomas  Robinson, 
Lord,  and  the  statue  of  George  II, 
229 

Gray,  Thomas,  his  opinion  of  Fel- 
low-Commoners, 17;  his  account 
of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle's  instal- 
lation as  Chancellor,  54;  his  con- 
tempt for  the  Duke  of  Newcastle, 
149 

Green,  John,  Master  of  Corpus 
Christi  and  Bishop  of  Lincoln, 
elected  Regius  Professor  of  Divin- 
ity, 184-189;  elected  Master  of 
Corpus,  236-238;  and  the  new 
regulations,  199  n.  3,  209;  and  the 
question  of  the  right  of  appeal, 
220;  appointed  Dean  of  Lincoln, 
1 1,  190-191 ;  and  the  admission  of 
Dr  Sumner  as  Provost  of  King's, 
317;  and  the  appointment  of  Dr 
Sumner  as  Vice- Chancellor,  177- 
178;  elected  Vice-Chancellor,  13, 
179;  and  the  Duke  of  Newcastle's 
policy  of  prolonging  the  tenure  of 
the  Vice-Chancellor's  office,  179— 
180;  and  the  election  of  Dr 
Rutherforth  as  Regius  Professor 
of  Divinity,  192-193,  193  n.  i, 
194;  and  university  addresses,  153, 

155'  157.  158)  307?  309  n-  i»  31O5 
312,  313  n.  2;  and  mandate  de- 
grees, 165;  supports  Maseres' 
candidature  for  the  Lucasian 
Professorship  of  Mathematics,  197 
and  n.  2,  198;  and  the  examina- 
tion for  the  Craven  scholarship, 
12-14;  ^nd  the  appointment  of 
Sandby  as  Master  of  Magdalene, 
319-320;  appointed  Bishop  of 
Lincoln,  1 1 ;  and  Hagar's  appeal, 
306;  and  Lord  Hardwicke's  can- 
didature for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 61  and  n.  i,  64-68  70,  77, 
82,  86  n.  I,  87,  90-92,  91  n.  i,  99- 
loi,  104  n.  I ;  and  the  question  of 
re-admissions,  97;  and  Thomas 
Pitt's  vote,   122;  and  the  election 


of  Marriott  as  Master  of  Trinity 
Hall,  282;  resignation  of  Master- 
ship, 129-130;  and  the  election  of 
a  Vice-Chancellor  in  1764,  128- 
130,  133;  and  the  election  of  a 
Lady  Margaret  Professor  in  1765, 
249;  and  the  election  of  a  Master 
of  St  John's  in  1765,  252,  255- 
256,  262;  entertains  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle,  1 50;  the  Duke  of  New- 
castle's agent  at  Cambridge,  147, 
232 

Gremial,  183  n.  2  and  n.  3 

Grenville  ministry,  and  Lord  Sand- 
wich's candidature  for  the  office  of 
High  Steward,  56,  ti2 

Grenville,  George,  and  Lord  Sand- 
wich's candidature  for  the  office  of 
High  Steward,  57-59,  89 

Grigg,  William,  Master  of  Clare, 
301 

Gunning,  Henry,  i,  8,  11;  his  ac- 
count of  Trinity  Hall,  266 

Hagar,  Robert,  Fellow  of  Clare,  303; 
deprived  of  his  fellowship  by  the 
Master,  304;  appeals  against  the 
Master,  304-307 

Halifax,  George  Montagu  Dunk, 
Earl  of,  and  Lord  Sandwich's 
candidature  for  the  office  of  High 
Steward,  57-59;  on  friendly  terms 
with  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  59 
n.  I ;  and  Dr  Hallifax,  296 

Hall,  supports  the  Duke  of  New- 
castle's candidature  for  the  Chan- 
cellorship, 44 

Hallifax,  Samuel,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall,  elected  to  a  Fellowship  of 
Trinity  Hall,  281;  supports  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  281;  and  the 
election  of  Marriott  as  Master  of 
Trinity  Hall,  126  n.  2,  282  and 
n.  2,  284-289,  291-297;  nomi- 
nated for  election  to  the  Caput,  1 26 
n.  2;  his  life  threatened  by  an 
undergraduate,  19-20 

Hamburgh,  262 

Harding,  supports  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle's  candidature  for  the 
Chancellorship,  44 


338 


INDEX 


Harding,  see  Hardinge 

Hardinge,  George,  an  undergradu- 
ate of  Trinity,  118-119 

Hardwicke,  Philip  Yorke,  first  Earl 
of,  and  the  Prince  of  Wales'  can- 
didature for  the  Chancellorship, 
40;  appointed  High  Steward,  54; 
admitted  to  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Laws,  149;  and  university  ad- 
dresses, 153,  154,  159,  309  and  n.  i, 
311,  313  and  n.  2;  and  mandate 
degrees,  171;  and  the  election  of 
Dr  Green  as  Regius  Professor  of 
Divinity,  188  and  n.  2,  1895  and 
the  question  of  the  right  of  appeal, 
220;  and  the  election  of  Dr  Green 
as  Master  of  Corpus,  237;  and  the 
election  of  Dr  Goddard  as  Master 
of  Clare,  303;  death  of,  55,  84-85; 
see  also  150,  234,  315 

Hardwicke,  Philip  Yorke,  second 
Earl  of,  his  character,  60;  a  candi- 
date for  the  office  of  High  Steward, 
59-111;  his  attitude  as  a  candi- 
date, 60,  64,  78-79,  100,  138; 
interference  in  a  Fellowship  elec- 
tion at  St  John's,  95;  opposes  the 
suggestion  that  the  Duke  of  Graf- 
ton should  be  a  candidate  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  ico-ioi;  and 
the  legal  proceedings  connected 
with  his  candidature  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  ni-112,  120-124, 
137;  and  the  election  to  the  Lady 
Margaret  Professorship  in  1765, 
250;  and  the  election  to  the  Mas- 
tership of  St  John's  in  1765, 
255;  a  candidate  for  the  Chan- 
cellorship, 139-144;  see  also  130- 
131 

Hawnes,  vicarage  of,  and  Robert 
Hagar,  304,  306  n.  i 

Hayter,  Thomas,  Bishop  of  London, 
300,  303  and  n.  2,  304 

Heads  of  Houses,  Vice-Chancellor 
appointed  from  among,  27-28; 
authority  of  Vice-Chancellor  over, 
29;  as  advisors  to  the  Vice-Chan- 
cellor, 28-30;  and  the  election  of 
the  Caput,  30;  and  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle's  installation  as  Chan- 
cellor, 29 ;  and  university  addresses, 


^9'  ^52~^59i  ^rid  mandate  de- 
grees, 161  and  n.  i,  162 

Henley,  Lord,  see  Earl  of  Northing- 
ton 

Hereford,  Dean  of,  see  Edmund 
Castle 

Herring,  of  King's,  7 1 

Herring,  Thomas,  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  and  the  installation 
of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  as 
Chancellor,  50  n.  i ;  and  the  elec- 
tion of  Dr  Green  as  Master  of 
Corpus,  236-237;  and  the  new 
regulations,  200,  202  n.  3;  and 
the  question  of  the  right  of  appeal, 
220 

Hertford,  Francis  Seymour,  Mar- 
quis of,  and  the  examination  for 
the  Craven  scholarship,  12-14; 
and  mandate  degrees,  165 

Hervey,  23 

Hetherington,  William,  Rector  of 
Dry  Drayton,  42 

High  Steward  of  the  university.  Earl 
of  Anglesey  as,  36;  appointment 
of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  as,  36- 
38;  appointment  of  first  Earl  of 
Hardwicke  as,  54;  appointed  by 
Grace  of  the  Senate,  37,  83;  con- 
test for  in  1764,  55-139 

Hildesley,  Mark,  Bishop  of  Sodor 
and  Man,  323-324,  326  n.  2 

Hill,  Samuel,  of  St  John's,  94-95, 

Hilton,  Robert,  Fellow  of  Trinity, 

}^ 
Hinchliffe,  John,  Master  of  Trinity, 

and  the  election  of  a  Vice-Chan- 
cellor in  1764,  134;  and  the  elec- 
tion of  the  Duke  of  Grafton  as 
Chancellor,  142-143;  appointed 
Master  of  Trinity,  327-328 

Hitchin,  dispute  over  appointment 
to  living  of,  323-326 

Hooper,  Francis,  Fellow  of  Trinity, 
and  the  election  of  Dr  Ruther- 
forth  as  Regius  Professor  of 
Divinity,  193 

Horseman,  John,  Fellow  of  St  John's, 
251  and  n.  3 

Houghton  le  Spring,  251  n.  3 

House,  of  King's,  71 


INDEX 


339 


Hubbard,  Henry,  Fellow  of  Em- 
manuel and  Registrary  of  the 
university,  109 

Hughes,  of  Queens',  61 

Hume,  John,  Bishop  of  Oxford,  304 

Humphreys,  Thomas,  given  a  man- 
date degree,  1 66-1 71 

Huntingdon,  Francis  Hastings,  Earl 
of,  and  mandate  degrees,  166-168 

Hurdis,  Secretary  to  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle,  167-169 

Hutton,  John,  and  Dr  Rooke,  Mas- 
ter of  Christ's,  20-23 

Hutton,  Matthew,  Archbishop  of 
York  and  afterwards  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  22  and  n.  3,  50 

Jacobs,  Mrs,  19 

James  H,  and  mandate  degrees,  161 

Jenkin,  Henry,  of  St  John's,  251  and 

n._3 
Jennings,  of  Barkway,  251 
Jenyns,  Sir  Roger,  134  n.  3 
Jenyns,  Soame,  134  and  n.  3 
Jesus  College,  and  the  appointment 
of  Masters,  232,  235-236;  and  the 
appointment  of  a  High  Steward, 
104;  and  the  election  of  the  Duke 
of  Grafton  as  Chancellor,  143 
Johnson,  of  St  John's,  70 
Johnson,  James,  Bishop  of  Worces- 
ter, 69  and  n.  2 
Johnson,  Samuel,  and  Dr  Barnard,  73 
Jones,  John,  Curate  at  Hitchin,  324, 

326  n.  2 
Jones,  Thomas,  Fellow  and  Tutor  of 
Trinity,  his  merits  as  a  Tutor,  7; 
his  writings  and  lectures,  7 

Keene,  Sir  Benjamin,  58  n.  i 
Keene,  Edmund,  Master  of  Peter- 
house  and  Bishop  of  Chester,  his 
character  and  early  career,  58  n.  i, 
210;  appointed  Bishop  of  Chester, 
1 1 ;  prolongation  of  as  Vice-Chan- 
cellor,  172-173;  and  the  riot  in 
1 75 1,  17-18;  and  the  election  of 
Dr  Law  as  Master  of  Peterhouse, 
238-239;  and  the  new  regulations, 
202-211;  and  the  question  of  the 
right  of  appeal,  206-219,  221 ;  and 
the  East  Front  of  the  Library,  223, 


225;  recommends  Carr  for  a  Fel- 
lowship of  Trinity  Hall,  270;  and 
the  election  of  Marriott  to  a  Fellow- 
ship of  Trinity  Hall,  274-275; 
consulted  about  establishing  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle's  influence  in 
Trinity  Hall,  276;  and  the  election 
of  Dr  Rutherforth  as  Regius  Pro- 
fessor of  Divinity,  191-192;  and 
Lord  Sandwich's  candidature  for 
the  High  Stewardship,  58;  and  the 
election  of  a  Vice-Chancellor  in 
1764,  135;  and  the  election  of  the 
Duke  of  Grafton  as  Chancellor, 
140;  the  Duke  of  Newcastle's 
agent  at  Cambridge,  147;  see  also 
148  n.  I,  173,  177 

Kelly,  of  Jesus,  supports  Lord  Hard- 
wicke's  candidature  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  74 

Keppel,  Frederick,  Bishop  of  Exeter, 

64, 

King's  Bench,  Court  of,  and  the 
university,  115  n.  3,  123 

King's  College,  Tory  influence  in, 
48;  and  the  new  regulations,  208; 
and  the  election  of  Dr  Sumner  as 
Provost  in  1756,  316-318;  and 
Lord  Sandwich's  candidature  for 
the  High  Stewardship,  104,  253; 
and  the  election  of  the  Duke  of 
Grafton  as  Chancellor,  143 

King  in  Council,  and  the  university, 
113,  115  and  n.  3 

Kinnoull,  Earl  of,  see  Lord  Dupplin 

Kirke,  Miss,  and  Dr  Newcome, 
Master  of  St  John's,  248  and  n.  3, 
249 

Ladd,  17-18 

Lady  Margaret  Professorship,  elec- 
tion to,  246-266 

Law,  Edmund,  Master  of  Peter- 
house,  elected  Master  of  Peter- 
house,  238-239;  applies  for  the 
Deanery  of  Ely,  10;  elected  Vice- 
Chancellor,  175-177;  activities  as 
Vice-Chancellor,  28;  and  the  elec- 
tion of  Dr  Rutherforth  as  Regius 
Professor  of  Divinity,  191-192; 
and  university  addresses,  153-156, 
312;  asked  by  Sir  James  Lowther 


340 


INDEX 


to  support  Lord  Sandwich  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  73;  supports 
Lord  Hardwicke  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  62,  67,  77;  visited  by- 
Lord  Sandwich,  114-115;  a  can- 
didate for  the  Lady  Margaret 
Professorship,  246-266;  see  also  5 

Lee,  Sir  George,  Dean  of  Arches, 
and  the  question  of  the  right  of 
appeal,  220;  and  Sir  Edward 
Simpson,  268-269;  and  Fellow- 
ship elections  at  Trinity  Hall,  270 
-279;  death  of,  280 

Lee,  Sir  William,  Chief  Justice  of  the 
King's  Bench,  220  and  n.  3 

Leicester  House  party,  recruited 
from  Whigs  and  Tories,  38;  and 
Sir  George  Lee,  269 

Library,  University,  erection  of  East 
Front  of,  223-227 

Lichfield,  Bishop  of,  see  Hon. 
Frederick  Cornwallis 

Lincoln,  Bishop  of,  see  John  Green 
and  John  Thomas 

Lincoln,  Dean  of,  see  John  Green 
and  James  Yorke 

Lincoln,  Henry  Pelham-Clinton,Ear| 
of,  and  Dr  Goddard,  299,  304,  315 

Lipyeatt,  Jonathan,  and  the  question 
of  the  right  of  appeal,  205-206 

Llandaff,  Bishop  of,  see  Richard 
Watson 

Loggan,  see  Loggon 

Loggon,  George,  Fellow  of  St  John's, 
251 

London,  Bishop  of,  see  Thomas 
Hayter,  Thomas  Sherlock,  Rich- 
ard Terrick 

Long,  Roger,  Master  of  Pembroke 
and  Lowndean  Professor  of  As- 
tronomy, reported  to  be  dying, 
1 90;  and  the  address  on  the  Peace 
of  Paris,  312  and  n.  i;  and  Lord 
Sandwich's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  64,  77,  129, 
130  n.  4 

Longmire,  Daniel,  Fellow  of  Peter- 
house,  and  Lord  Sandwich's  can- 
didature for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 106-111;  visited  by  Lord 
Sandwich,  114-115;  and  Thomas 
Pitt's  vote,  122;  and  the  legal  pro- 


ceedings connected  with  Lord 
Sandwich's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  123;  see  also 
125 

Louisburg,  fall  of,  153 

Lowther,  Sir  James,  supports  Lord 
Sandwich  for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 73,  115  n.  2 

Lowther,  William,  115  and  n.  2 

Ludlam,  William^  Fellow  of  St 
John's,  a  candidate  for  the  Lu- 
casian  Professorship  of  Mathe- 
matics, 196-198;  Dr  Smith's  high 
opinion  of,  196-197;  and  the 
question  of  re-admissions,  82 

Lushington,  James  Stephen,  Fellow 
of  Peterhouse,  supports  Lord 
Hardwicke  for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 74 

Luther,  John,  76  and  n.  2 

Magdalene  College,  Master  of,  not 
elected  bv  the  Fellows,  232;  ap- 
pointment of  Dr  Sand  by  as  Mas- 
ter of,  318-320;  and  Lord  Hard- 
wicke's  candidature  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  104  n.  2 

Man,  Isle  of,  323 

Mandate  degrees,  131-132,  160-171 

Manning,  and  the  election  of  a  Presi- 
dent of  Queens'  in  1760,  234  n.  2 

Mansfield,  William  Murray,  Earl  of, 
and  the  legal  proceedings  con- 
nected with  Lord  Hardwicke's 
candidature,  124 

Markham,  William,  Headmaster  of 
Westminster  School,  65 

Markland,  Jeremiah,  4 

Marriott,  Sir  James,  Fellow  and 
afterwards  Master  of  Trinity 
Hall,  hi?  eaHy  career,  271-272; 
elected  to  a  Fellowship  of  Trinity 
Ha'l,  272-276;  supports  the  in- 
terest of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  in 
Trinity  Hall,  276-281;  and  the 
appointment  of  William  Ridling- 
ton  as  Regius  Professor  of  Civil 
Law,  278-279;  agent  for  New- 
castle at  Cambridge,  232;  sup- 
ports Lord  Hardwicke  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  66-67,  281; 
deserts  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  for 


INDEX 


341 


Lord  Sandwich,  129,  130  n.  4; 
elected  to  Mastership  of  Trinity- 
Hall,  129,  130,  282-297,  316; and 
the  election  of  a  Vice-Chancellor 
in  1764,  130-132;  and  the  election 
of  the  Duke  of  Grafton  as  Chan- 
cellor, 141;  see  also  267 

Martyn,  Thomas,  of  Sidney  Sussex, 
125 

Maseres,  Francis,  awarded  the  first 
Chancellor's  medal,  196;  a  candi- 
date for  the  Lucasian  Professor- 
ship of  Mathematics,  196-198 

Mason,  William,  composes  the  ode 
for  the  Duke  of  Newcastle's  in- 
stallation, 51 

Masters  of  Colleges,  see  Heads  of 
Houses 

Mawson,  Matthias,  Bishop  of  Ely, 
and  the  appointment  of  Dr  Caryl 
as  Master  of  Jesus,  235-236;  and 
Lord  Sandwich's  candidature  for 
the  High  Stewardship,  115  n.  3; 
advocates  the  prolongafon  of 
Elliston  as  Vice-Chancellor,  180; 
and  the  election  of  Dr  Powell 
as  Master  of  St  John's,  251, 
262 

May,  of  Pembroke,  71 

Mease,  Michael  Driver,  Fellow  of  St 
John's,  94 

Meredith,  Moore,  Fellow  of  Trinity, 
76,  117 

Metcalfe,  Thomas,  Fellow  of  St 
John's,  251  and  n.  3 

Milles,  Edward,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall,  and  the  election  of  Marriott 
as  Master,  286-288,  290  and 
n.  2,  291;  see  also  269,  275 
n.  2 

Milles,  Richard,  nephew  of  Edward 
Milles,  286 

Milton,  Joseph  Damer,  Lord,  251 
and  n.  3 

Milton  Abbas,  251  and  n.  3 

Moderator,  George  Mounsey,  Fel- 
low of  Jesus,  as,  9;  Pretyman  as, 
19;  and  the  house  of  regents, 
32  n.  I 

Monson,  Henry,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall  and  Regius  Professor  of  Civil 
Law,  and  the  electi(jn  of  Marriott 


to  a  Fellowship,  274-275;  death  of, 
277-278;  see  also  269 

Montagu,  Frederick,  the  first  Fellow- 
Commoner  to  receive  a  mandate 
degree,  163 

Morgan,  John  Pilkington,  Fellow  of 
Trinity,  325 

Morgan,  William,  Fellow  of  Trinity, 

6-7 
Mounsey,  George,  Fellow  and  Tutor 

of  Jesus,  9 
Murhall,  Thomas,  Fellow  of  Christ's, 

Murray,  Dr,  Vicar  of  Gainsborough, 

262  and  n.  i 
Murrey,  see  Murray 

Newbon,  Richard,  Fellow  of  Trinity, 
1 17  and  n.  i 

Newcastle,  Henry  Pelham-Clinton, 
second  Duke  of  Newcastle,  see  Earl 
of  Lincoln 

Newcastle,  Thomas  Pelham-Holles, 
first  Duke  of  Newcastle,  his  charac- 
ter and  ability,  35  and  n.  i,  36, 
145-146;  his  influence  and  interest 
in  the  university,  54-55,  (>(>,  144, 
152-153'  198-199^  230,  328-329; 
rebukes  Dr  Yonge,  148 ;  appointed 
High  Steward,  36-38;  elected 
Chancellor,  38-47;  installed  as 
Chancellor,  49-54;  resigns  the 
office  of  High  Steward,  53;  an- 
xious for  Lord  Hardwicke  to  suc- 
ceed him  as  High  Steward,  54;  his 
use  of  ecclesiastical  patronage,  10 
-12;  and  the  examination  for  the 
Craven  scholarship,  12-14;  and  a 
Trinity  Fellowship  election,  14- 
15;  anxious  to  prolong  certain 
Vice-Chancellors,  128,  171-180; 
founder  of  the  Chancellor's  clas- 
sical medals,  222-223;  and  the 
statue  of  George  H,  227-230;  and 
the  building  of  the  East  Front  of 
the  Library,  223-227;  and  the 
question  of  the  right  of  appeal, 
211,  213,  217,  220-221;  and  the 
new  regulations,  199-21 1;  his 
visits  to  the  university,  148-152; 
and  university  addresses,  155-159, 
307-314;    and    mandate    degrees. 


342 


INDEX 


160-171 ;  and  professorial  appoint- 
ments, 18C-199,  278-279;  his 
difficulties  in  controlling  the  col- 
leges, 231-233,  235,  239;  and 
Gonville  and  Caius,  233;  and 
Emmanuel,  233;  and  Christ's, 
234;  and  St  Catharine's,  234;  and 
Queens',  234;  and  Jesus,  235-236; 
and  Corpus  Christi,  236-238;  and 
Peterhouse,  238-239;  and  St 
John's,  240-266;  and  Trinity 
College,  240  and  n.  i,  322-328; 
and  Trinity  Hall,  268-298;  and 
Clare,  298-304;  and  King's,  316- 
318;  and  Magdalene,  318-320; 
his  dislike  of  Goddard,  315-316; 
and  Hagar's  appeal,  304-307;  and 
Dr  Sandby,  320-321,  321  n.  3; 
and  Lord  Hardwicke's  candida- 
ture for  the  office  of  High  Steward, 
59-1 1 1,  138-139;  and  the  legal 
proceedings  connected  with  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature,  1 1 1- 
112,  115  n.  3,  120-124,  137;  and 
the  appointment  of  Proctors  and 
Scrutators  in  1764,  125;  and  the 
election  of  the  Caput  in  1764,  124 
—127;  and  the  election  of  a  new 
Vice-Chancellor  in  1764,  124- 
137;  driven  into  parliamentary 
opposition,  307-308,  318;  his 
death,  140,  142;  see  also  i,  11 
Newcome,  John,  Master  of  St  John's 
and  Lady  Margaret  Professor  of 
Divinity,  his  election  as  Master, 
254;  appointed  Dean  of  Rochester, 
12;  supports  the  Duke  of  New- 
castle's candidature  for  the  Chan- 
cellorship, 39,  44,  47-48,  240; 
asks  for  ecclesiastical  preferment 
for  Birkbeck,  45 ;  and  the  election 
of  Dr  Green  as  Regius  Professor 
of  Divinity,  182,  186,  187;  and 
the  election  to  the  Lucasian  Pro- 
fessorship of  Mathematics,  197; 
and  the  address  on  the  Peace  of 
Paris,  312  and  n.  i;  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  61,  64,  77,  95 
and  n.  2;  and  the  election  of  a 
Vice-Chancellor  in  1764,  133; 
desires  to  resign  the  Lady  Mar- 


garet Professorship,  246-250;  and 
Dr  Squire,  146;  illnesses  and  death 
of,  241,  243,  244,  246-257,  261; 
see  also  173 

Non-Gremial,    52,    183   n.   2    and 

.   n.  3 

Non-Regents,  and  the  Caput,  30; 
and  the  passing  of  Graces,  31-32, 
io5_ 

Northington,  Robert  Henley,  Earl 
of,  and  Lord  Sandwich's  candida- 
ture for  the  High  Stewardship,  73, 
96;  see  also  77  n.  5 

Norwich,  Bishop  of,  see  Philip 
Yonge 

Norwich,  Dean  of,  see  Edward 
Townshend 

Ogden,  Samuel,  Woodwardian  Pro- 
fessor of  Geology,  his  appetite,  8 ; 
Dr  Johnson's  opinion  of  his  ser- 
mons, 8  n.  2;  his  epistolary  style, 
1 1 ;  anxious  to  be  appointed  Mas- 
ter of  Magdalene,  318-319;  and 
Fellowship  election  at  St  John's  in 
1764,   95;  and  the  election  of  a 
Vice-Chancellor  in   1764,    134;  a 
candidate  for  the  Lady  Margaret 
Professorship,  249-250,  257;  and 
the  Mastership  of  St  John's,  257- 
259,  260,  264 
Onslow,  George,  75  n.  3 
Ordinances  of  the  university,  26 
Oxford,  Bishop  of,  see  John  Hume 
Oxford,  University  of,  Jacobite  sen- 
timent at,  199 

Paris,  Peace  of,  university  address 
on,  307-314 

Parris,  Francis  Sawyer,  Master  of 
Sidney  Sussex,  and  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle's  candidature  for  the 
Chancellorship,  41-43,  45-47 

Peck,  Samuel,  Fellow  of  Trinity, 
and  Lord  Hardwicke's  candida- 
ture for  the  High  Stewardship,  69 
and  n.  3;  appointed  a  Scrutator, 

Pedley,  Stanhope,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall,  281;  and  Marriott's  election 
as  Master,  288-289,  291,  293- 
297 


INDEX 


343 


Pelham,  Henry,  and  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle's  candidature  for  the 
Chancellorship,  41,  44;  see  also 
240  n.  I,  284,  320 

Pelham,  Henry,  and  the  election  of  a 
Vice-Chancellor  in  1764,  134 

Pembroke  College,  Tories  at,  48; 
and  Lord  Sandwich's  candidature 
for  the  High  Stewardship,  104; 
Duke  of  Newcastle's  little  influence 
in,  234 

Peterborough,  Bishop  of,  see  Richard 
Terrick 

Peterhouse,  Tories  at,  48 ;  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  104;  the  Duke 
of  Grafton  replaces  his  name  on 
the  books  of,  140  and  n.  i ;  and  the 
election  of  the  Duke  of  Grafton  as 
Chancellor,  141,  143;  influence 
of  Duke  of  Newcastle  in,  238- 
239 

Physicians,  College  of,  and  mandate 
degrees,  162 

Pigott,  John,  FeUow  of  Trinity,  75 
and  n.  3 

Pinfold,  Charles,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall,  269,  273-275 

Pitt,  Thomas,  afterwards  Lord 
Camelford,  120  and  n.  i,  121-122, 

137 

Pitt,  William,  afterwards  Earl  of 
Chatham,  his  reputation  for  finan- 
cial disinterestedness,  35  n.  i;  and 
the  parliamentary  opposition,  308 ; 
and  the  address  on  the  Peace  of 
Paris,  309-311,  314 

Place,  Marwood,  Fellow  of  Trinity, 
117  and  n.  i 

Plucknett,  William,  Fellow  of  St 
John's,  64,  262  and  n.  i 

Plummer,  and  the  dispute  over  the 
living  of  Hitchin,  326  n.  2 

Plumptre,  Robert,  President  of 
Queens',  election  of  as  President, 
234  and  n.  2;  and  Lord  Hard- 
wicke's candidature  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  77,  82-83,  94;  offers 
to  place  Charles  Townshend's 
name  on  the  books  of  Queens',  80; 
and  the  election  of  a  Vice-Chan- 
cellor in  1764,  1345  and  the  elec- 


tion of  the  Duke  of  Grafton  as 
Chancellor,  140-143;  on  intimate 
terms  with  the  Yorke  family,  78; 
see  also  150 

Plumptre,  Russell,  Regius  Professor 
of  Physick,  attends  the  Master  of 
St  John's,  241 

Politicians,  interest  in  university  of, 
10-16,  34-36,  48-49 

Porson,  Richard,  4 

Porteus,  Beilby,  Fellow  of  Christ's, 
109 

Portmore,  Charles  Colyear,  Earl  of, 
251  n.  3,  252 

Portsmouth,  Ladv,  and  the  Master- 
ship of  Magdalene,  318-321 

Powell,  John,  Fellow  of  Trinity,  117 
and  n.  i 

Powell,  William  Samuel,  Master  of 
St  John's,  opposes  Waring's  elec- 
tion to  the  Lucasian  Professorship 
of  Mathematics,  197-198;  anxious 
to  become  Master,  241-244;  and 
Lord  Hardwicke's  candidature  for 
the  High  Stewardship,  72,  88-89, 
100,  245;  and  the  legal  proceed- 
ings connected  with  Lord  Hard- 
wicke's candidature,  124;  election 
to  the  Mastership  of  St  John's,  245 
-266;  introduces  annual  college 
examinations,  25;  and  the  election 
of  the  Duke  of  Grafton  as  Chan- 
cellor, 143 

Pratt,  Sir  Charles,  afterwards  Earl 
Camden,  118-119 

Pratt,  Sir  John,  115  n.  3 

Prescot,  Kenrick,  Master  of  St 
Catharine's,  applies  for  the  Dean- 
ery of  Ely,  10 ;  and  Lord  Sand- 
wich's candidature  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  130  n.  4;  and  the 
question  of  re-admissions,  97; 
Lord  Sandwich  sups  with,  115 

Preston,  William,  Fellow  of  Trinity, 
and  Lord  Hardwicke's  candida- 
ture for  the  High  Stewardship,  75, 
76  and  n.  3 

Pretyman,  George,  afterwards  Bishop 
of  Winchester,  19  and  n.  i 

Privy  Council,  and  the  Prince  of 
Wales'  candidature  for  the  Chan- 
cellorship, 40 


344 


INDEX 


Proctors,  and  the  Caput,  30;  and 
installation  of  the  Duke  of  New- 
castle, 51;  and  the  regents'  house, 
31,  32  n.  I,  105-108;  appointment 
of,  in  1764,  124-125 

Public  Orator,  and  installation  of  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle,  51 ;  Dr  Yonge 
appointed,  183 

Pyle,  Edmund,  and  the  election  of 
Dr  Green  as  Master  of  Corpus,  237 

Quebec,  fall  of,  155 

Queens'  College,  and  Lord  Hard- 
wicke's  candidature  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  104;  Duke  of  New- 
castle's influence  in,  234 

Ragdale,  given  a  mandate  degree, 
166-170,  314 

Read,  John,  Fellow  of  King's,  317 

Re-admission,  question  of,  79,  80 
and  n.  i,  81,  82  and  n.  2,  96-99 

Regents,  and  the  Caput,  30;  and 
Graces,  31,  105;  see  also  27  n.  i,  32 

Regulations,  the  new,  199-2 11 

Richardson,  William,  Master  of 
Emmanuel,  his  Tory  principles, 
38,  233;  and  the  Prince  of  Wales' 
candidature  for  the  Chancellor- 
ship, 38,  41,  43,  47;  and  university 
addresses,  153-156,  312;  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  77  and  n.  5, 
130  and  n.  4;  and  the  election  of  a 
Vice-Chancellor  in  1764,  136  n.  3 

Ridlington,  William,  Fellow  of 
Trinity  Hall  and  Regius  Professor 
of  Civil  Law,  his  cure  for  the 
dropsy,  8-9;  and  the  question  of 
the  right  of  appeal,  217,  278;  and 
Fellowship  elections  at  Trinity 
Hall,  275,  277;  appointed  Regius 
Professor  of  Civil  Law,  278-279; 
and  Lord  Sandwich's  candidature 
for  the  High  Stewardship,  66  and 
n.  3,  281;  and  Marriott's  election 
as  Master  of  Trinity  Hall,  282, 
284-290,  293,  295-297;  see  also 
282  n.  2 

Roberts,  John,  secretary  to  Henry 
Pelham,  284-285 

Robinson,  240  n.  i 


Robinson,  John,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall,  269,  270,  275  n.  2;  and 
Marriott's  election  to  the  Master- 
ship of  Trinity  Hall,  290-291,  294 

Robinson,  Matthew,  Fellow  of 
Trinity  Hall,  and  Fellowship 
elections,  269-270,  274-275,  277; 
and  the  election  of  Marriott  as 
Master,  289-291,  293,  295 

Rochester,  Dean  of,  see  John  Newcome 

Rockingham,  Charles  Watson-Went- 
worth.  Marquis  of,  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  67,  94;  see  also 
321 

Rooke,  George  Henry,  Master  of 
Christ's,  and  the  Duke  of  New- 
castle's candidature  for  the  Chan- 
cellorship, 39,  44,  47  n.  5;  and  the 
election  of  Dr  Green  to  the  Regius 
Professorship  of  Divinity,  182, 
184-189;  appointed  Prebendary 
of  Lincoln,  189;  and  John  Hutton, 
20-23;  and  the  new  regulations, 
203,  207-208;  see  also  234 

Roper,  Robert,  161  n.  i 

Rose  Inn,  102 

Royal  Letters,  26 

Royston,  Lord,  see  second  Earl  of 
Hardwicke 

Rutherforth,  Thomas,  Fellow  of  St 
John's  and  Regius  Professor  of 
Divinity,  and  the  Prince  of  Wales' 
candidature  for  the  Chancellor- 
ship, 41,  43,  47-48;  a  candidate 
for  the  Regius  Professorship  of 
Divinity  1748-1749,  184-185, 
187;  reconciled  with  the  Duke 
of  Newcastle,  189-190,  245-246; 
anxious  to  be  elected  Lowndean 
Professor  of  Astronomy,  190; 
elected  Regius  Professor  of  Divin- 
ity, 190-194;  and  the  examination 
for  the  Craven  scholarship,  12-14; 
desirous  of  becoming  Master  of 
St  John's,  241-244,  245-266;  and 
Lord  Hardwicke's  candidature  for 
the  High  Stewardship,  131,  245; 
and  the  election  of  a  Vice-Chan- 
cellor  in  1764,  131;  and  the  elec- 
tion of  the  Duke  of  Grafton  as 
Chancellor,  142  n.  3,  143;  as  agent 


INDEX 


345 


for    the    Duke    of   Newcastle    at 
Cambridge,  232;  see  also  5 
Rutland,  John  Manners,  Duke  of,  68 

St^  Catharine's  College,  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  104;  and  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle,  234 

St  David's,  Bishop  of,  see  Samuel 
Squire 

St  John's  College,  state  of  parties  in, 
241-244;  and  Lord  Hardwicke's 
candidature  for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 104  n.  2;  Fellowship  election 
at,  95;  and  the  election  of  a  Lady- 
Margaret  Professor,  246  and  n.  i; 
and  the  election  of  a  Master,  245- 
266;  introduction  of  annual  col- 
lege examinations  at,  25;  Tories 
at,  48;  the  Duke  of  Newcastle 
stays  at,  315 

St  Sepulchre's,  11 

Salusbury,  Thomas,  Fellow  of 
Trinity  Hall,  269-270 

Sand  by,  George,  Master  of  Magda- 
lene, appointed  Master  of  Magda- 
lene, 320;  his  enthusiasm  for  Cam- 
bridge, 320-321;  relations  with 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  320,  321 
and  n.  3;  appointed  Chancellor  of 
Norwich,  321  n.  3;  his  disposal  of 
Fellowships,  321;  and  the  uni- 
versity address  on  the  accession  of 
George  HI,  157-159;  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  61  and  n.  4, 
62,  77,  109;  and  the  legal  pro- 
ceedings connected  with  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature,  112; 
and  the  election  of  a  Vice-Chan- 
cellor  in  1764,  133;  see  also  104 

Sandwich,  John  Montagu,  Earl  of, 
and  Dr  Sumner,  316,  318;  a  can- 
didate for  the  office  of  High 
Steward,  56-1 11,  138,  329;  de- 
nunciation of  John  Wilkes,  56-57, 
74;  and  nickname  of  Jemmy 
Twitcher,  57;  and  the  question  of 
re-admissions,  98-99;  and  the 
legal  proceedings  connected  with 
his  candidature,  1 1 2-1 15,  1 1 5  n.  3, 
120,    137;    and    the    election    of 


Marriott  as  Master  of  Trinity 
Hall,  129,  289  and  n.  2,  290,  293 
n.  2,  295-297;  his  visit  to  Cam- 
bridge, 113-115;  and  the  election 
of  the  Caput  in  1764,  125-127; 
and  the  election  of  a  Vice-Chan- 
cellor  in  1764,  131— 137;  and  the 
election  of  a  Lady  Margaret  Pro- 
fessor and  a  Master  of  St  John's  in 
1765,  246,  249,  252,  253,  257,  259, 
260,  263-266;  see  also  321 

Scrope,  Andrew,  Provost  of  King's, 
ii5n.3 

Scrutators,  and  the  election  of  the 
Caput,  30;  and  the  house  of  non- 
regents,  31,  105-106;  appointment 
of,  in  1764,  124-125 

Seeker,  Thomas,  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  and  Lord  Hard- 
wicke's candidature  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  65;  and  the  election 
of  a  Master  of  St  John's,  262-263 ; 
and  civil  law  preferments,  282 
and  n.  i,  283  n.  i ;  and  the  Master- 
ship of  Trinity,  327-328 

Sedgwick,  William,  President  of 
Queens',  45,  234 

Senate,  limitation  of  its  power,  26; 
and  the  election  of  a  Vice-Chan- 
cellor,  27;  the  two  houses  of,  27 
n.  I,  31-32;  and  university  ad- 
dresses, 29 

Senate  House,  erection  of,  223  and 
n.  3 

Shaftoe,  Captain,  17-18 

Sherlock,  Thomas,  Bishop  of  Lon- 
don, and  Duke  of  Newcastle's  in- 
stallation, 50 ;  and  the  new  regula- 
tions, 200,  202  n.  3;  and  the 
question  of  the  right  of  appeal,  220 

Sidney  Sussex  College,  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stt.vardship,  104  n.  2 

Simpson,  Sir  Edward,  Master  of 
Trinity  Hall,  his  influence  in  the 
College,  66-67;  ^i^d  elections  to 
Fellowships,  268-280;  and  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle,  280-281;  and 
Hagar's  appeal,  306;  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  77,  109,  281; 
death  of,  129,  281-282 


346 


INDEX 


Simpson,  Francis,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall,  elected  to  a  Fellowship,  270; 
and  Fellowship  elections,  274-275, 
2775  and  Lord  Hardwicke's  can- 
didature for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 66  and  n.  4;  and  Marriott's 
election  as  Master,  282,  286, 
291,  293,  295-297;  and  the  elec- 
tion of  a  Vice-Chancellor  in  1764, 

134 
Skottowe,     Charles,     President     of 

Corpus,  declines  the  Mastership, 

236 
Skynner,  John,  Fellow  of  St  John's, 

a  candidate  for  the   Mastership, 

260-261 
Smith,  of  King's,  and  the  question 

of  the  right  of  appeal,  220 
Smith,  Dr,  of  Westminster  School, 

134 

Smith,  John,  Master  of  Gonville  and 
Caius,  elected  Master,  131,  233; 
created  doctor  of  divinity  by 
royal  mandate,  1 31-132;  and  the 
election  of  a  Vice-Chancellor  in 
1764,  131-137 

Smith,  Robert,  Master  of  Trinity, 
and  the  Duke  of  Newcastle's  can- 
didature for  the  Chancellorship, 
39,  44;  and  the  election  of  Dr 
Green  as  Regius  Professor  of 
Divinity,  184-187;  and  the  elec- 
tion of  Dr  Rutherforth  as  Regius 
Professor  of  Divinity,  193;  and 
the  election  of  Waring  as  Lucasian 
Professor  of  Mathematics,  195- 
198;  and  the  Trinity  Fellowship 
election  in  1762,  14-15;  and  Lord 
Sandwich's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  62,  74-77,  95- 
96,  103  and  n.  i,  104,  108-109, 
III,  130  n.  4;  and  the  question  of 
re-admissions,  97  n.  i;  and  Lord 
Sandwich's  visit  to  Cambridge, 
113,  115;  his  tyrannous  treatment 
of  his  undergraduates,  116-119; 
and  the  election  of  the  Caput  in 
1764,  126  n.  5;  his  opinion  of 
Johnian  examiners,  16;  his  rela- 
tions with  the  Duke  of  Newcastle, 
151,  152,  323-326;  his  death,  327; 
see  also  5,  173,  240  n.  i 


Sodor  and  Man,  Bishop  of,  see  Mark 
Hildesley 

Somerset,  Charles  Seymour,  Duke  of. 
Chancellor  of  the  university,  36, 
38,  41 ;  and  mandate  degrees,  162; 
appoints  to  Mastership  of  Clare, 
301;  his  death,  41,  42,  45-47 

Sondes,  Lewis  Watson,  Lord,  94 

Squire,  Samuel,  Bishop  of  St  David's, 
supports  the  Duke  of  Newcastle's 
candidature  for  the  Chancellor- 
ship, 44;  as  Chancellor's  secretary, 
146,  147  and  n.  i,  148  and  n.  i, 
302  n.  5;  and  the  question  of  the 
right  of  appeal,  221;  and  the  ad- 
mission of  Dr  Sumner  as  Provost 
of  King's,  317  and  n.  3 

Statutes,  Elizabethan,  26 ;  and  earlier, 
26;  and  the  question  of  the  right 
of  appeal,  206  n.  i 

Steeple  Bumpstead,  Vicarage  of,  239 

Stonehewer,  Richard,  251  n.  3 

Story,  of  Magdalene,  95 

Stuart,  Charles,  Fellow  and  Tutor 
of  Peterhouse,  239 

Summersham,  Rectory  of,  and 
Regius  Professorship  of  Divinity, 
182 

Sumner,  John,  Provost  of  King's, 
elected  Provost,  28,  316-318; 
elected  Vice-Chancellor,  28,  176- 
179;  and  the  election  of  Dr 
Rutherforth  as  Regius  Professor 
of  Divinity,  178  n.  3,  192,  193  and 
n.  i;  entertains  the  Duke  of  New- 
castle, 150,  151  n.  i;  asks  for  a 
bishopric,  10;  and  the  address  on 
the  Peace  of  Paris,  312;  relations 
with  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  318; 
deserts  to  Lord  Sandwich,  321; 
and  Lord  Sandwich's  candidature 
for  the  High  Stewardship,  61  and 
n.  3,  65,  77,  109,  130  n.  4;  and  the 
question  of  re-admissions,  97; 
Lord  Sandwich  dines  with,  115 

Talbot,  William,  Fellow  of  Clare, 
appointed  the  Chancellor's  secre- 
tary for  university  business,  146, 
147  and  n.  i,  302  n.  5;  and  the 
election  of  a  Master  of  Clare  in 
1762,  298-304;  and  Hagar's  ap- 


INDEX 


347 


peal,  305;  and  Lord  Hardwicke's 
candidature  for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 93  and  n.  2,  97,  102  and  n.  2; 
and  Thomas  Pitt,  1235  and  Dr 
»  Newcome,  248  and  n.  3,  249,  257; 
views  on  the  Lady  Margaret  Pro- 
fessorship and  the  Mastership  of 
St  John's,  258;  see  also  232 

Tarrent,  Charles,  Dean  of  Carlisle,  68 

Tatham,  John,  scholar  of  Christ's,  2 1 

Taxors,  32  n.  i 

Taylor,  Dr,  43 

Temple,  Richard  Grenville-Temple, 
Earl,  308 

Terrick,  Richard,  Bishop  of  Peter- 
borough and  afterwards  Bishop  of 
London,  and  Dr  Goddard,  299- 
300;  and  Lord  Sandwich's  candi- 
dature for  the  High  Stewardship, 
73 ;  and  the  Mastership  of  Trinity, 
328 

Thomas,  Hugh,  Master  of  Christ's, 
elected  Master,  234;  attempts  to 
prolong  his  Vice-Chancellorship, 
174  and  n.  2;  appointed  Dean  of 
Ely,  12;  and  the  East  Front  of  the 
Library,  2265  and  the  election  of 
the  Provost  of  King's  as  Vice- 
Chancellor,  178;  and  the  election 
of  Dr  Rutherforth  as  Regius  Pro- 
fessor of  Divinity,  191 ;  entertains 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  150,  151 
n.  i;  reports  on  the  health  of  Dr 
Newcome,  241 ;  and  the  address  on 
the  Peace  of  Paris,  312;  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  77;  and  the 
question  of  re-admissions,  97;  and 
the  election  of  Marriott  as  Master 
of  Trinity  Hall,  282;  and  the  elec- 
tion of  a  Lady  Margaret  Professor 
in  1765,  249;  see  also  173 

Thomas,  John,  Bishop  of  Lincoln, 
and  the  living  of  Hitchin,  325  and 
n.  3 

Three  Tuns  Tavern,  and  the  West- 
minster club,  211-212 

Todington,  Thomas,  Fellow  of  St 
J(;hn's,  251,  259  n,  3 

Tomline,  Sir  George  Pretvman, 
Bishop  of  Winchester,  see  Prety- 
man 


Tories,  influence  of  in  university,  38; 
and  Leicester  House  party,  38 ;  and 
Duke  of  Newcastle's  candidature 
for  the  Chancellorship,  46,  48 ;  and 
the  new  regulations,  201;  and  the 
question  of  the  right  of  appeal,  208 

Townshend,  Charles,  second  Vis- 
count Townshend,  35  n.  i 

Townshend,  Charles,  third  Viscount 
Townshend,  90  and  n.  i 

Townshend,  Charles,  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  71  and  n.  3, 
72,  88-90,  91  and  n.  i,  92  and  n.  3, 
96,  100,  in;  and  the  election  of 
Dr  Powell  as  Master  of  St  John's, 
255-256 

Townshend,  Charles  ("Spanish 
Charles"),  and  Lord  Hardwicke's 
candidature  for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 71  and  n.  3,  80,  81,  100  n.  5; 
and  the  election  of  a  Vice-Chan- 
cellor  in  1764,  134 

Townshend,  Edward,  Dean  of 
Norwich,  134-135 

Townshend,  George  Townshend, 
fourth  Viscount,  and  Lord  Sand- 
wich's candidature  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  96,  ic8;  a  possible 
candidate  for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 100;  visits  Cambridge  with 
Lord  Sandwich,  11 3-1 15 

Townshend,  Thomas,  university 
representative  in  parliament,  44 
n.  I ;  and  the  Duke  of  Newcastle's 
candidature  for  the  Chancellor- 
ship, 44,  46;  and  the  address  on 
the  Peace  of  Paris,  310,  312 

Townshend,  Thomas,  junior,  and 
Lord  Hardwicke's  candidature  for 
the  High  Stewardship,  92,94, 96-97 

Trinity  College,  and  the  installation 
of  the  Puke  of  Newcastle  as  Chan- 
cellor, 51-53;  and  the  election  of 
Dr  Green  as  Regius  Professor  of 
Divinity,  182,  184,  187-188;  and 
the  new  regulations,  208;  and  the 
Vice-Chancellor's  term  of  office, 
174-176,  17S;  and  the  election  of 
the  Provost  of  King's  as  Vice- 
Chancellor,  178;  and  the  election 
of  Dr  Rutherforth  as  Resjius  Pro- 


348 


INDEX 


fessor  of  Divinity,  191-193;  and 
the  dispute  over  the  living  of 
Hitchin,  323-326;  Fellowship 
election  at,  14-15;  and  Lord  Sand- 
wich's candidature  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  62,  74-77,  104;  and 
Lord  Sandwich's  visit  to  Cam- 
bridge, 113-115;  disciplinary- 
measures  taken  against  under- 
graduates at,  116-119;  the  Duke 
of  Newcastle  and,  149-151,  192, 
322-323;  rivalry  with  St  John's, 
240  and  n.  r,  322;  appointment  of 
Dr  HinchlifFe  as  Master  of,  327- 
328;  see  also  48,  232,  253 

Trinity  Hall,  constitution  of,  266- 
268,  279-28 1 ;  Fellowship  elections 
at,  269-281;  election  of  Marriott 
as  Master  of,  129,  281-297 

Twells,  70 

Undergraduates,  disorderly  behav- 
iour of,  16-23,  199  and  n.  3;  in- 
dustry of,  23-25;  and  Lord  Hard- 
wicke's  candidature  for  the  High 
Stewardship,  104-106,  no;  and 
the  question  of  the  right  of  appeal, 
218-219 

Upton,  John,  Fellow  of  King's,  317 

Vane,  Frederick,  Fellow-Commoner 
of  Peterhouse,  17-18,212,  214-215 
Vanneck,  Sir  Joshua,  94 
Vernon,  Lord  Hardwicke's  solicitor, 

123 
Vernon,  James,  Fellow- Commoner  of 

Trinity,  and  the  Westminster  club 

212,  215 
Vice- Chancellor,  method  of  electing, 

27-28,  30  n.  I,  127-128,  131-133; 

and     Heads    of    Houses,     28-29; 

judicial  functions  of,  29;  and  the 

Caput,  30,  3 1  and  n.  i ;  a  member 

of  the  house  of  regents,  32  n.  i; 

influence  of  in  the  election  of  a 

Chancellor,   42;   prolongation   of 

term  of  office  of,  28,  128,  171-180; 

and  university  addresses,  153-159; 

election  of  in  1764,  124,  127-137; 

and  rioting,  16-19;  incapacity  of 

Regius   Professor  of  Divinity   to 

serve  as,  27  n.  2 


Wadeson,  Richard,  Fellow  of  St 
John's,  64 

Wales,  Princess  of,  and  Sir  George 
Lee,  279 

Walker,  Richard,  Vice-Master  of 
Trinity,  and  Dr  Green's  election 
to  the  Regius  Professorship  of 
Divinity,  182,  184,  187-188;  and 
the  Vice-Chancellor's  term  of 
office,  174;  and  the  dispute  over 
the  living  of  Hitchin,  325;  and 
the  Fellowship  election  in  1762, 
14-15;  and  Lord  Sandwich's  can- 
didature for  the  High  Stewardship, 
62;  and  William  Preston,  75,  76 
and  n.  3 ;  and  the  election  of  the 
Caput  in  1764,  i26n.5;  death  of,  9 

Walpole,  Sir  Edward,  76  and  n.  5 

Walpole,  Horace,  and  installation  of 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  49;  and 
Edmund  Keene,  Master  of  Peter- 
house,  58  n.  I 

Walpole,  Sir  Robert,  and  Edmund 
Keene,  Master  of  Peterhouse,  58 
n.  i;  see  also  35,  37,  76  n.  5 

Waring,  Edward,  Fellow  of  Magda- 
lene and  Lucasian  Professor  of 
Mathematics,  election  of  as  Pro- 
fessor, 194-198;  see  also  6 

Warner,  Dr,  65 

Watson,  Richard,  Bishop  of  Llan- 
daff,  academic  career  of,  5-6,  16; 
his  opinion  of  Fellow-Commoners, 
23-24;  his  tribute  to  the  industry 
of  undergraduates,  23-24 

Wentworth,  Sir  Thomas,  67 

Westminster  club,  dinner  of,  211— 
213 

Westminster  school,  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle's  affection  for,  ir,  298; 
and  the  Duke  of  Newcastle's  candi- 
dature for  the  Chancellorship,  44 

Weymouth,  Thomas  Thynne,  Vis- 
count, his  good  behaviour  as  a 
student  at  Cambridge,  23;  and 
Lord  Sandwich's  candidature  for 
the  High  Stewardship,  108 

Whalley,  John,  Master  of  Peter- 
house, 182 

Whichcot,  251 

Whigs,  influence  in  Cambridge  of, 
37;  and  Leicester  House  party,  38; 


INDEX 


349 


and  the  Duke  of  Newcastle's  can- 
didature for  the   Chancellorship, 

46,  54 

Whisson,  Stephen,  Fellow  of  Trin- 

»  ity,  and  the  Fellowship  election  in 
1762,  14-15;  see  also  119 

Whiston,  90 

White,  Mr  Serjeant,  97 

Whitehall,  James,  Senior  Fellow  of 
Trinity,  and  the  election  of  Dr 
Green  as  Regius  Professor  of 
Divinity,  182,  184,  187-188 

Wilbraham,  121 

Wilcocks,  Joseph,  68,  69  and  n.  2 

Wilcox,  John,  Master  of  Clare,  and 
the  appointment  of  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle  as  High  Steward,  37 
and  n.  i;  and  the  question  of  the 
right  of  appeal,  219-220;  and  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle,  298;  death  of, 
298,  302;  see  also  173 

W'ilkes,  John,  56,  57,  74 

Wilson,  Dr,  240  n.  i 

Wilton,  Joseph,  and  the  Statue  of 
George  II,  227,  228 

Wimpole,  234 

Winchester,  Bishop  of,  see  Pretyman 

Worcester,  Bishop  of,  see  James 
Johnson 

Wortham,  of  Royston,  95 

Wright,  Stephen,  and  the  East  Front 
of  the  Library,  223-225,  227 

Wynne,  William,  Fellow  of  Trinity 
Hall,  and  Fellowship  elections  at 
Trinity  Hall,  274,  275,  277;  and 
Lord  Hardwicke's  candidature  for 
the  High  Stewardship,  66,  281; 
and  Marriott's  election  as  Master, 
282,  286,  288-297;  nominated  for 
election  to  the  Caput,  126  n.  5; 
and  the  election  of  a  Vice-Chan- 
cellor  in  1764,  134 

Yeoman  Bedell,  52 

Yonge,  Philip,  Master  of  Jesus, 
appointed  Public  Orator,  183;  a 
candidate  for  the  Regius  Pro- 
fessorship of  Divinity,  182,  183 
and  n.  2  and  n.  3,  184-187;  ap- 
pointed Master  of  Jesus,  235,  236 
n.  I ;  appointed  Bishop  of  Bristol 


and  afterwards  Bishop  of  Norwich, 
11-12;  and  the  question  of  the 
right  of  appeal,  221-222;  and  the 
East  Front  of  the  Library,  225- 
226;  and  prolongation  of  as  Vice- 
Chancellor,  173;  and  university 
addresses,  157,  310,  314;  and  man- 
date degrees,  163,  164;  and  the 
election  of  Dr  Sumner  as  Provost 
of  King's  and  Vice-Chancellor, 
178,  316,  317;  and  the  election  of 
Dr  Goddard  as  Master  of  Clare, 
298;  and  Lord  Hardwicke's  can- 
didature for  the  High  Steward- 
ship, 60,  61,  64,  66-70,  75-76,  79, 
81,  82  n.  2,  83;  and  the  legal  pro- 
ceedings connected  with  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature,  120; 
and  the  election  of  Marriott  as 
Master  of  Trinity  Hall,  282-283, 
296;  and  the  election  of  a  Vice- 
Chancellor  in  1764,  134-135;  and 
the  Mastership  of  St  John's,  243, 
244,  255,  256;  and  the  statue  of 
George  II,  228-230;  and  the 
Mastership  of  Trinity,  328;  and 
the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  147  and 
n.  I,  148,  232 

York,  Archbishop  of,  see  Robert 
Drummond  and  Matthew  Hutton 

Yorke,  Charles,  relations  with  the 
university  as  Solicitor  General,  29; 
and  Dr  Richardson,  Master  of 
Emmanuel,  77  and  n.  5;  and 
mandate  degrees,  171;  and  Lord 
Hardwicke's  candidature  for  the 
High  Stewardship,  60,  100,  10 1 
and  n.  3 ;  and  the  legal  proceedings 
connected  with  Lord  Hardwicke's 
candidature,  iii,  112,  115  n.  3, 
121;  and  the  election  of  Marriott 
as  Master  of  Trinity  Hall,  290  n.  2; 
and  the  election  of  a  Vice-Chan- 
cellor  in  1764,  136  n.  3,  142  n.  3 

Yorke,  James,  Dean  of  Lincoln,  92, 
134  and  n.  4 

Yorke,  John,  92,  134 

Yorke,  Philip,  23  n.  2,  24-25 

Zouch,  Thomas,  Fellow  of  Trinity, 
15 


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